Main Dishes – Mishael Austin Witty

Cooking Healthy Food, Exotic Flavors, Fruit for Dessert, Just Desserts, Microwave Baking, Super Sides

Lychee Nutrition Facts and Recipe

April 25, 2016March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

My family and I love to go to the local Chinese buffet. It’s a Sunday afternoon, after-church tradition now. We’ve been doing it for over seven years! You’d think we’d get tired of the same old, same old, but this particular restaurant switches up their menu just enough to keep things interesting. Our favorite things (the sushi, the coconut shrimp, the fried dumplings, etc.) are almost always there, but every once in a while they introduce something new to the spread.

Like yesterday, when they had these strange-looking little round things sitting out at the dessert table. I figured it much be some sort of fruit, but I didn’t have a clue what it was. Still, I’m an adventurous type, especially when it comes to food, so I thought I would try it. Our server came by the table before I’d taken a bite, and I asked her what they were.

“Lychee,” she said, pronouncing it “lee-chee,” or at least that was the way it sounded to me. She smiled at me like she didn’t really believe she was having to tell me what it was. What could I say? I was a lychee virgin.

I’d heard of the fruit before, but I’d never seen it in person, so I’d certainly never tasted it.

I speared one little fruit with my fork and cautiously stuck it in my mouth. Immediately, I tasted the ginger, and I wondered it if that was part of the fruit’s natural taste, but some later research online told me that probably wasn’t the case. They’d probably added ginger to it when they baked it.

My first overall impression? It was quite different from anything I’d ever had before, although the texture was somewhat reminiscent of baked pears, I thought. And it was spicy! But that was okay by me because I happen to like spicy food.

When I got home, I hit the Internet looking for more information about lychees. Turns out, by not knowing anything about this fruit I was really missing out! Lychees are amazingly nutritious!

For example, they:

Offer a great source of Vitamin B-complex, Vitamin C, and phytonutrients like carotenoids, flavonoids, indoles, isoflavones, lignans, and polyphenols
Provide high amounts of folate, iron, magnesium, and manganese, which are all required for the formation of red blood cells

Please note, however, that lychees are really high in sugar, which may prove problematic for some diabetics, so consume with caution – and ALWAYS in moderation.

During my Internet search, I even found a yummy baked lychee recipe to try at home. So, I made my husband go out and find some lychees (which was no easy feat in Louisville, KY), tweaked the recipe by adding some things, and baked my lychees in the microwave (like I bake everything else).

Baked Lychees

Recipe Type: Dessert

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 lb lychee fruit, peeled & seeded

Instructions

Spray a Pyrex baking pan with Pam cooking spray.
In a small microwaveable bowl, melt the butter.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger to the butter, and stir together thoroughly.
Roll each lychee in the sugar mixture, and set on the baking dish.
Pour remaining sugar mixture over the lychees.
Put the dish in the microwave and cook on medium power for about three to five minutes, until sugar is caramelized.
Serve immediately, and refrigerate any leftovers.

If you haven’t yet tried lychees, I highly suggest giving them a try. They’re a really different taste sensation at first, but in a delicious way – especially baked. Try this out, and see for yourself!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

So, when I recently attended yet another online party and saw that there was a $19.80 join special, I took the plunge. I’ve been enjoying Pampered Chef myself for decades. Why not share that love with others?

I’m so excited to start my Pampered Chef journey. I would be thrilled if you would consider joining me. Pampered Chef has so many tools that can help you as you seek to eat cleaner. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me on my Facebook page.

Breakfast, Salads, Super Sides

Do Something New with Your Easter Egg Leftovers

April 13, 2016March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Tired of Hard-Boiled Eggs?

If your family is anything like mine, you have about three different Easter celebrations. When I was a child, we’d celebrate Easter at our house and then go to each of my grandmother’s homes to celebrate, as well. Guess what that meant? We had a lot of leftover food and a lot of leftover hard-boiled Easter eggs!

After a while, I started to hate those eggs because I ate them plain – well, my mother would shake a little salt and pepper on them, but that was about it. As I got older, I began adding mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle relish for single-serve deviled eggs. Even this got boring after a while, though.

So, what do you do when you’re sick of plain hard-boiled eggs – or even deviled eggs? How about some of these tasty ideas?

Spice Up Your Egg Salad

While egg salad is not that much different than deviled eggs on the surface, you can mix it up by adding exotic ingredients.

What would you think about adding a little curry to your egg salad? Or even some mashed avocado or grated cucumber for added, non-egg-y flavor.

Use your culinary imagination, and the sky’s the limit!

Top Your Cooked Vegetables

Chop up some hard-boiled eggs and throw them on top of steamed vegetables. Chopped eggs are especially tasty, and aesthetically satisfying, on top of green vegetables (beans, broccoli, asparagus).

I’ll admit it. At first, I was nervous about trying this, but I was pleasantly surprised. Hard-boiled eggs really do make a yummy garnish for cooked vegetables.

Don’t Forget the Cold Vegetables!

Sure, we all know we can chop up hard-boiled eggs and throw them on our lettuce salads. And most people add hard-boiled eggs to cold potato and tuna salad. But what about other cold salads?

Eggs can be a great addition to macaroni salad, shrimp salad – even cole slaw. And have you ever had cauliflower salad? This is something else I was afraid to try, but it turned out to be a delicious new addition to my cold salad repertoire.

Pickle Your Eggs

Now this may be an acquired taste because not everyone likes pickled eggs. I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of them, but they do hold a certain nostalgic value for me.

My grandmother always had pickled eggs on the table at Easter. Well, her pickled eggs always included pickled beets and onions, but there were always eggs in the mix.

Pickled eggs can be eaten by themselves or as a cold salad accompaniment. If you’ve never had one before, try them. You might really like them.

Simply Organic French Onion Dip, 1.1-Ounce Packets (Pack of 24)

Add Some Protein to Your Dips and Sauces

Finely chop your hardboiled eggs (yolk and all) and add them, along with some sour cream or plain yogurt, to your favorite dip seasoning mix. I think they’re best in French Onion dip or Ranch dip. You hardly even know the egg is in there, depending on how many you use.

Or how about some chopped hard-boiled eggs in a hollandaise sauce, or even a chicken a la king? You can easily sneak in the nutritional goodness of the egg without cluing in any egg-haters to their presence.

Egg Up Your Main Dishes

You can always chop up your hard-boiled egg and throw it in with your favorite meatloaf mixture. Or you could spice things up a bit, Spanish-style.

Combining potatoes and eggs is a very popular culinary trick in Spain and in most of South America. That’s where I had my first Tortilla Española and absolutely fell in love with the flavor combination.

You can replicate the flavor in a casserole dish. Use equal numbers of boiled eggs and boiled potatoes. Throw them in the dish with some cooked sausage, peppers, onions, and spices. Layer the sliced eggs on top of the mixture with some milk-soaked bread and cheese. Repeat and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Delicious spicy breakfast (or dinner) casserole!

Some New Egg Ideas

Now you have some ideas for unique ways to use your leftover Easter eggs. You won’t be stuck eating just plain hard-boiled eggs, like I was for so many years! So go out and buy a few dozen and have fun decorating them for Easter. Or, if Easter’s a long way off, just decorate them for the heck of it. Why not?

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breakfast, Cooking Tools & Techniques

Yummy Microwave Eggs

April 11, 2016March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Yes! It’s true! You really can make yummy eggs in the microwave. I’ve done it several times before!

how to microwave an egg — Used with permission from AZAdam – http://flickr.com/photos/azadam/120126016/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3216130

It all started a few years ago when my older daughter asked for eggs for breakfast. I went to the kitchen, set the frying pan on a burner, and turned the stove on. The burner almost immediately started smoking. I was afraid that whatever was causing the smoking would catch fire (it’s happened before), so I turned off the power to that burner.

I tried another burner. Same thing. Then I went to another burner. Again, after a few seconds, the burner started smoking. All my burners had this same problem!

I was afraid to use the stove, and my little girl was still asking for her egg. So, I had to think of something. I, of course, turned to the Internet and found this interesting (if a little amateurish) video. Note: the baby at the end really doesn’t have anything to do with cooking the eggs. I would just turn it off after the first couple of minutes if I were you.

Here’s How I Made My Eggs in a Cup

Now, the chef in this video called her creation an omelet, but I’m not sure what I made actually qualifies as an omelet. It was actually more like scrambled eggs with a little cheese thrown in.

Ingredients:

one large mug
one extra-large egg
about one-fourth of a cup of mild cheddar cheese (more or less to taste)
a couple of dashes of salt
a couple of dashes of pepper

The technique:

Crack open egg.
Pour contents into the mug.
Whisk the egg to break up yolk.
Add cheese.
Add salt and pepper.
Stir lightly.
Microwave on high for about 30 seconds.
Stir the egg with a fork.
Return to microwave and cook for 30 more seconds.
Jab a fork into the egg to check for done-ness.
Pour the egg out of the cup (or just eat it in the cup).

In the video, the cat lady sprayed her cup with Pam before pouring her egg mixture into it, and I’ve done this too. However, the first time I made eggs in a mug, I got distracted by my then three-year-old and one-year-old, so I completely forgot this step. I was really regretting that omission by the time all was said and done because the melted cheese stuck really badly to the mug. If you forget to spray the Pam on the mug (I never have since then), you’re going to have to soak the mug in water for about half an hour (at least I did) and then scrub for quite a while to get it all off.

I also personally love to add a little milk to my eggs before I cook them – just a tablespoon or two. I started doing that, and it does help keep the microwave eggs from being too rubbery.

When I’m making eggs for myself, I always add some favorite spices: thyme, onion powder to add a little more flavor, and probably some more ingredients – coriander’s always nice. And so is chervil, for egg dishes. These eggs, however, are surprisingly tasty to be cooked in a microwave with just cheese and salt and pepper. I never would have thought it was possible if I hadn’t tried it myself!

As I said before, this doesn’t really qualify as an omelet because there was no flipping involved, and it came out of the cup in one big block form – not a nice flat half-moon shape. Still, it’s an amazingly easy, fast, and tasty way to get the goodness of eggs anytime you want! Hooray for the microwave!

You don’t even have to use one of those specialty gadgets for cooking eggs in the microwave, although you can if you want to. Who knows? The eggs might turn out even better.

Some Nutritional Facts About Eggs

One extra-large egg has:

80 calories
6 grams of total fat
2 grams of saturated fat
237 mg of cholesterol
7 grams of protein
3% Daily Value (DV) of calcium
5% DV of Vitamin A
6% DV of iron

Eggs are also a great source of a few major B vitamins: B2, B5, and B12. And some studies show that eating two eggs for breakfast can even kick up your weight loss.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breads, Breakfast, Microwave Baking

Chocolate Chippy Chunk Muffins

April 6, 2016March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

This past weekend, my oldest daughter asked for some chocolate chip cookies because she knew I had a full bag of chocolate chips in the house – well, sort of full (more on that later). My oven’s still not working, so I asked her if muffins would be okay because I know I can do muffins in the microwave. She said yes, so I decided to go with that. But I waited too long (a whole day), and she and her sister broke into my bag of chocolate chips!

By the time I got around to making the muffins, I found that most of the bag was empty. So, I had to improvise when it came to adding the chocolate to the recipe. I used about 1/4 of a pound of the coconut oil fudge I’d made a few days before. The end result was pretty surprising and wonderful!

I also happened to be out of eggs, so I searched online and found that you can actually substitute flaxseed (3 tablespoons) and water (1 tablespoon) for one egg. The nice folks at Viva Labs sent me a free bag of ground flaxseed in exchange for an honest review. And, my honest opinion is, it’s a great product! Nicely packaged. It tastes great, and it works in a variety of food products (I’ve used it to make meatballs too). Soon, I’ll be using it to make soap (which I’ll probably talk about over at my CoriaCoco site), so keep an eye out for that post if you’re interested. Plus, I think the Amazon price is totally reasonable for the quality you’re getting, especially if you have access to the free Prime shipping.

I knew I had the flaxseed available, so I decided to try that out as a substitute. It worked pretty well, I think…and my kids and husband both really enjoyed them, so I guess we can call this eggless recipe a winner.

Know someone with an egg allergy? They can still have muffins (as long as they’re not allergic to anything else in this recipe). Here’s what I used and what I did.

Chocolate Chippy Chunk Muffins

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Prep time: 6 mins

Cook time: 6 mins

Total time: 12 mins

Serves: 14 muffins

These muffins are made by substituting a flaxseed and water mixture for the egg, so anyone with an egg allergy can enjoy them, provided they are not allergic to anything else in the recipe.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup organic coconut oil fudge (see recipe linked above)
1/3 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make the egg substitute mixture by combining one tablespoon of flaxseed with three tablespoons water. Stir and let sit for at least one minute while you get the other ingredients together.
Line mini muffin cup wells with mini cupcake liners or spray with non-stick spray.
Melt the butter in the microwave (high for about 30 seconds).
Stir in the milk and vanilla.
Pour in the chocolate chips and fudge (cut up into bite-size chunks) and stir well.
Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir until combined thoroughly.
Fold in the flaxseed and water mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the lined muffin cups and put into microwave.
Cook on high power for between 3 and 4 minutes (test for doneness with a toothpick).
Transfer done muffins to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining batter (I had enough left for about 2 or 3 other muffins – these won’t take as long to cook).
Cook remaining muffin batter on high power for about 2 minutes.

After you cook these, if you don’t eat them all right away, you might want to put them in a sealed container. I didn’t, and I found that the next day some of them were really, really hard. A couple of seconds in the microwave softened them up, but it was still something I wasn’t expecting. I hadn’t experienced that before with any of the other muffins I’d made in the microwave. Maybe it was the coconut oil in them (which hardens at room temperature). Maybe I needed to add more milk or water or something. I’m going to try that the next time I make these.

Did you try these? I’d love to hear about it. Also, if you have any suggestions for keeping these from turning rock hard the next day, that would be great too.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking Healthy Food, Cooking with Chicken Leftovers, Exotic Flavors, Salads, Sandwiches

Guacamole Chicken Salad Recipe

November 14, 2015March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

It’s National Spicy Guacamole Day! Yum! A couple of months ago (on September 16), it was National Guacamole Day. September is also National Chicken Month. So, I got the idea to combine the two things into this salad (I love guacamole, and I love chicken salad). Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to post it then, so I thought I’d save it for today. I didn’t want to let all that work go to waste. Also, I really didn’t want my readers to miss out on the yumminess. So, here it is: my spicy guacamole chicken salad.

Oh, and by the way, this is totally a recipe you can make with any leftover crock pot chicken you might have sitting around. That’s what I used. Score!

Here’s how you make this:

Guacamole Chicken Salad Recipe

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4 servings

This delicious recipe combines two of my favorite things to eat: guacamole and chicken salad. It’s the perfect way to add a little spicy Mexican kick to your leftover chicken.

Ingredients

2 avocados (peeled and pitted)
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cilantro
1 large Roma tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 serrano pepper, chopped
1 lb cooked chicken, shredded

Instructions

In a large bowl, mash the avocados with the lemon juice.
Stir in the garlic powder, salt, red pepper, and cilantro.
Add the chopped tomato and peppers, stirring lightly.
Stir in the cooked chicken, and serve immediately on tortillas.

The hardest part about this unique chicken salad recipe is going to be peeling the avocado. Here’s an easy guide that tells you how to peel an avocado. Or check out this excellent video that actually shows someone doing it in less than two minutes. Be sure to save the pit to stick in the bottom of your guacamole mixing bowl. That will help keep the guacamole from turning brown.

It’s really not that hard to make your own guacamole, once you get used to it. And it’s something I definitely recommend you try at least once. Store-bought guacamole’s not bad (if you can find it), but the stuff you make fresh yourself is so much better.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Soups, Super Sides, Vegging Out

Creamy Cabbage Soup

November 3, 2015March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Sometimes it’s hard being the only one in a family of four who actually enjoys food – all kinds of food. If it’s edible, I’m willing to try it – except if it has eyeballs. I leave those types of things alone. At any rate, I don’t consider myself to be at all picky, but I live with three very picky (and somewhat unpredictable) eaters. They won’t touch a lot of things I want to fix, so I end up having to eat it all myself (and most of the time, that’s just fine with me).

Take, for example, the other day when I wanted to try out a recipe for potato salad slaw I found in one of my husband’s grandmother’s old cookbooks. I bought a head of cabbage, my husband took one look at it, and wrinkled his nose in distaste. Now, keep in mind, I know for a fact this guy does eat slaw (I also know he doesn’t eat potato salad, but this potato salad recipe didn’t have anything in it he wouldn’t eat, so I thought it was worth a try). Silly me! He just shook his head and said, “I’ve never met a potato salad I liked, and I don’t think I’ll like this one.” I love that man. I really do, but oh that comment made me so mad!

I had a head of cabbage I had to do something with, so I decided to cook it up with some bacon and cheddar cheese. That’s the Southern way to do it, you know. Everything’s better with bacon and cheese. But I found that I had a lot of chopped cabbage, and since I knew I was the only one who was going to be eating it (my girls took one look and ran out of the room), I thought I might vary the cabbage cooking a bit. That’s where this creamy cabbage soup comes in. It doesn’t have bacon or cheese, but it’s every bit as delicious as my old standby cooked cabbage recipe. Here’s how to make it:

Creamy Cabbage Soup

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

This creamy cabbage soup recipe is the perfect way to warm up on a cold day. It’s an excellent alternative to traditionally cooked cabbage, and it can even be altered to make it a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

½ chopped medium green cabbage (about 12 ounces, total)
2 ounces of butter
2 chopped leeks
1 potato, peeled and sliced
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable or bone broth)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano flakes

Instructions

Chop half the green cabbage up into small cubes.
In a large saucepan, bring about 2 inches of lightly salted water to a boil and add the cabbage cubes
Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the chopped leeks gently for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender.
Add the sliced potato and cook for another few minutes.
Pour in the broth, bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Pour the cabbage and the liquid into the potato and leek mixture.
Cook everything for another 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
Remove pan from heat, and add the milk and oregano.
Stir well, cover, and set aside for about 15 minutes.
Pour half the soup into a blender, and blend gently for about 30 seconds.
Return the blended portion to the saucepan and stir thoroughly.
Heat on medium low heat until heated through.
Serve immediately with bread or crackers.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Exotic Flavors, Old Family Recipes

Basic Beef Stroganoff

November 2, 2015March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always loved a good beef stroganoff. There’s just something about lean, tender beef in a rich cream sauce that really hits the spot on a cold night. The length of time spent cooking is what really helps the beef get tender. You can always add a bit of meat tenderizer before cooking for extra tenderizing power. Here’s the basic recipe to get you started.

Basic Beef Stroganoff

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 50 mins

This classic Russian dish is the perfect treat for a cold night. You can serve this over rice or noodles.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds lean beef
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

In a heavy skillet, melt the butter, and stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Add the beef and brown thoroughly over high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the sour cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and heat through.

I almost always serve this with egg noodles because we really love them at our house. This is easily every bit as delicious over rice.

Traditionally, beef stroganoff is made with sliced mushrooms. I don’t use them because my husband is somewhat allergic to them, but if you prefer to use them you can add them in during the 30-minute simmer stage, just after you brown the meat.

Also, traditional beef stroganoff uses real onions (if you prefer to use these, brown them with the meat), but my husband hates onion, so I use onion powder in everything I cook instead. He doesn’t seem to mind the onion powder. Go figure. It must be the texture that bothers him more than the taste.

You can switch up this recipe in other ways too, like adding green or red pepper slices…or even carrots. Have any other ideas? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breads, Breakfast, Microwave Baking

Pumpkin Muffins

October 26, 2015March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

A couple of years ago, my girls discovered the Little Bites pumpkin muffins from Entenmann’s. They absolutely fell in love with them, and I went through about a box every other day or so. Let me tell you, that got expensive. Also, things turned distressing when December rolled around, and the pumpkin muffins disappeared. Turns out, this was just a seasonal flavor. My girls were heartbroken, and I wondered how I could possibly satisfy their little toddler cravings for pumpkin muffins.

I found a recipe for pumpkin muffins using canned pumpkin and cake mix, and those were yummy, but I wondered if there was another way to make them – preferably from scratch. Turns out, all I had to do was look through my Grammy’s old microwave cookbooks. I used the basic muffin recipe and tweaked it by adding pumpkin and some other yummy stuff, and this is what I came up with:

Pumpkin Muffins

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 22 mins

Serves: 36

These pumpkin muffins are so good and easy, you’ll want to make them all the time, even when it’s not “pumpkin muffin season.”

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon coriander
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can pumpkin puree

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredient mixture.
Pour the eggs, cooking oil, milk, applesauce, and vanilla into the center of the well.
Stir well.
Add the pumpkin puree, and stir to combine thoroughly.
Insert a silicone mini muffin tray into a large Pyrex baking dish.
Spray the tray with Pam non-stick cooking spray.
Fill each muffin well about 2/3 full with batter.
Microwave on High (Power Level: 10) for 5 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center of each muffin comes out clean.
Remove the muffins from the tray, and repeat the process for the rest of the muffin batter.

My whole family loves these, although my husband admits he thinks they could be a little sweeter. I think they’re just fine as they are, and I like the fact that I can serve my family muffins for breakfast and not feel too guilty about it. These also make a nice after-dinner treat.

However, if you have a real sweet tooth, like my husband, you might want to consider doubling the sugar in this recipe, or perhaps adding icing. I think you could do so without ruining the muffins. Whether you add more sugar or not, I do hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking with Kids, Just Desserts, Sandwiches, Super Sides

Five Fun Fluffernutter Facts

October 8, 2015March 29, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Today is National Fluffernutter Day! Admittedly, before today, I’d never heard of this delicious PB&J alternative. But I thought I would give it a try, because ever since I learned how to make peanut butter fudge using marshmallow creme, I’ve been a big fan of the combination of peanut butter and marshmallow creme together.

And in my quest for more information about the fluffernutter, I came across some very interesting facts:

Marshmallow creme, which forms the basis of the fluffernutter sandwich, was first invented in Massachusetts in the early part of the 20th century. Sugar shortages due to war hindered its production for a time; however, the gooey treat never really fell off the radar.
The fluffernutter (also known as the “Liberty sandwich”) was actually developed, and the first recipe for it was published, by marshmallow creme co-founder Emma Curtis during World War I (hence, obviously, the presence of “liberty” in the sandwich’s name). Emma Curtis was the great-great-great-granddaughter of Paul Revere.
Because of its vast popularity and its rich local history, the fluffernutter has been named the “unofficial state sandwich” of Massachusetts, and real steps have been taken to make that title official.
In 2006, the fluffernutter inspired some severe anti-junk food legislation in its home state when State Senator Jarrett Barrios found out his son was being served fluffernutters every day at school. The amendment limited the serving of fluffernutters at school to once a week.
Fluffernutters aren’t just popular here on Earth. Astronaut Richard Michael Linnehan, who was born in Massachusetts and grew up in New Hampshire, enjoyed a fluffernutter while he was onboard the International Space Station.

I guess, since I’m not from Massachusetts and don’t really know anyone who is, it’s understandable I’m not very familiar with the fluffernutter. Well, that is, I wasn’t familiar with it until I decided to make one for myself today to celebrate this delicious holiday. I made some modifications, though, to the traditional white bread, marshallow creme, and peanut butter sandwich.

First of all, I didn’t have any white bread in the house, so I used wheat. And I’m such a PB&J fan, I just couldn’t bear the thought of substituting the jelly with marshmallow creme alone. So, I got the bright idea to add raisins (about half an ounce), since they are made from the same fruit grape jelly comes from.

I was a bit skeptical at first, but it really was an excellent idea. The raisins were amazing in this sandwich! And I got to feel a little bit better about my indulgence in the “unhealthy” sandwich my adding something healthier to it – well, in addition to the whole wheat bread.

All in all, I’m glad I was introduced to the fluffernutter. It’s not going to be my go-to sandwich when I get a hankering for peanut butter. PB&J will always win out over the fluffernutter, as far as I’m concerned. But I can definitely see the appeal of this sandwich. And I love the many possibilities that exist in terms of fluffernutter variations. For example, I ran across several mentions of fluffernutter cookies.

Also, in the process of researching this sandwich, I ran across this delicious cake recipe. I have not had a chance to make it yet, but I’m filing it away for later. It just looks too good to pass up!

Now I want to know: What are your experiences with the fluffernutter? Do you prefer it over the PB&J, or is it the other way around? Talk back to me in the comments!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Soups

Hearty Pork Stew with Egg Noodles

October 6, 2015March 31, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Chicken’s not the only thing I cook in the Crock Pot and have a lot of leftovers afterwards. This also happens with pork. Last night, I was trying to figure out what to do with a large butter container full of leftover pork, and I wanted it to be as healthy as possible, meaning I wanted to include vegetables. I also happened to know that today is National Egg Noodle Day (my family LOVES egg noodles), and I remembered how my mother used to always serve beef stew with noodles. So, my thoughts naturally turned to pork stew. I’d never made it before, and I had no idea how it would turn out, but I figured it was worth a try, anyway. My husband was skeptical about the inclusion of potatoes in something that I was serving with egg noodles, but he was a believer after a bite or two. This turns into a hearty, thick stew, so serve it on a cold night with something light, like crackers or a salad. I served this by itself, but we all had my applesauce brown Betty for dessert afterwards. A true dinner winner!

Hearty Pork Stew with Egg Noodles

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4 servings

I loved beef stew and noodle night when I was growing up (although I probably loved beef stew and biscuit night more). I took that idea and switched it up a bit to make my own pork stew served over egg noodles. So, so good!

Ingredients

1 cup water
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tsps coriander
2 tsps salt
1 tsp pepper
1-2 lbs of shredded cooked pork
1 can sliced carrots (and the liquid)
1 can sweet whole kernel corn (and the liquid)
4 large baking potatoes, diced
4 cups egg noodles

Instructions

In a large stewpot, pour in water and chicken broth.
Add the bay leaf and stir in the coriander, salt, and pepper.
Stir in the pork, carrots, and corn.
Stir in the potato cubes.
Cook over medium high heat for 30 minutes to soften the potatoes and combine the flavors.
Cook the egg noodles according to package directions and spoon evenly into four serving bowls.
Spoon the stew over the noodles, and enjoy!

And here’s a little extra tip: There will be leftover stew if you’re only serving four, so you might want to cook a few extra noodles to take this for lunch the next day, like my husband did!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking Healthy Food, Exotic Flavors, Soups

South American Ceviche

October 2, 2015March 31, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

It’s National Fried Scallop Day! I don’t know about you, but my husband and I love fried scallops (really, we love any sort of scallop). I get them fried every time we go to our favorite Chinese buffet restaurant. But, admittedly, fried scallops are not the healthiest things you can eat.

I’ve sauteed scallops before, and I’ve boiled them. Really, you do not want to cook a scallop for more than 3-5 minutes any way you cook them because it’s super easy to overcook them to the point that they’re rubbery and near inedible.

Frying scallops is pretty easy. You do it basically the same way you fry chicken (at least, the same way my grandmother taught me to fry chicken. You dip them in an egg and milk mixture, and then roll them in a cornbread and flour mixture before sticking them in a hot skillet. Fry on each side for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes, and you’ve got tasty fried scallops.

However, if you’re looking for a healthier way to enjoy scallops I highly recommend an amazing South American dish called ceviche. In this dish, the scallops aren’t fried. In fact, they’re not even really cooked at all. They’re cured to safety in the acidic lemon and lime juices. Now, I’m not one to eat raw seafood (and it’s never recommended for pregnant women, so don’t try this recipe if you are), but even I enjoyed this one. It’s really hard (as far as I’m concerned, anyway) to ruin South American cuisine. I’m so glad I discovered this recipe in one of my grandmother’s old cookbooks. It’s low calorie, low fat, and completely delicious! So, when you’re done celebrating Fried Scallop Day, give this recipe a try.

South American Ceviche

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: South American

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 12 hours

Total time: 12 hours 10 mins

Serves: 6 servings

This recipe is not recommended for pregnant women because of the “raw” scallops, but it’s a definite “must-try” for any other seafood lover!

Ingredients

6 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons lime juice
1 diced green pepper
1 diced red pepper
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 tablespoons parsley flakes
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds bay scallops, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 lettuce leaves

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the lemon and lime juices, the green and red pepper, celery, parsley flakes, cilantro, garlic powder, ginger, chili powder, salt, and red pepper flakes.
Toss in the scallops and combine thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for 6-12 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator and stir in the olive oil.
Lay out the lettuce leaves onto a serving platter.
Spoon the scallop mixture evenly over the leaves.
Serve immediately.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breakfast, Cooking Healthy Food

Four Paleo Diet Pancake Recipes

September 26, 2015March 31, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

It’s no secret by now that my family loves pancakes, and I’ve already shared our favorite pancake recipe on this blog. But millions of people worldwide either can’t, or choose not to, enjoy traditional pancakes because of the wheat flour that’s used in the recipe. That’s why, on this National Pancake Day, I decided to feature some paleo diet pancake recipes that are completely (or almost completely) gluten free.

You can take my old-fashioned pancake recipe (linked above) and substitute almond flour for the regular flour, almond milk for the regular milk, honey for the white sugar, ghee for the melted butter, and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda combined with 5.5 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar for the baking powder.

Alternatively, you can try this recipe from Elana Amsterdam, the author of The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, which I’ve mentioned in a previous post.

If you want to try something a little different, take a look at some of these:

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1 cup crushed almonds (alternatively, as Elana Amsterdam suggests, you can use crushed cashew pieces)
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 bananas, sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil

In a food processor or blender (I like the Ninja Master Prep), chop up the almonds into tiny pieces.
Add the almond milk, baking soda, eggs, banana slices, and the vanilla extract.
Pulse together until smooth, about one minute.
Stir in the chocolate chips just before cooking the pancakes.
Melt the coconut oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
Spoon batter into the skillet, and cook each pancake for about 30 to 60 seconds per side.
Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I love sweet potatoes…and, of course, I love pancakes. This combination is almost unbeatable!

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
4 tablespoons almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Whisk together the first five ingredients.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and stir together until thoroughly combined.
Heat the coconut oil in a skillet until melted.
Spoon about two tablespoons of the pancake batter into the skillet and pat down to flatten into a pancake form.
Cook over medium high heat for two to three minutes.
Flip the pancake over and pat it down again to flatten even more and free some of the uncooked batter.
Cook on this side for about two minutes.
Flip the pancake again and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Pancakes

‘Tis the season to make pumpkin EVERYTHING! Yay! We love pumpkin at our house, so combining pumpkin flavor with our favorite breakfast pancakes is a no-brainer. Turns out, it can make a fabulous paleo breakfast treat, as well. Here’s an all-paleo pumpkin pancake recipe that’s sure to please everyone in your household.

4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon almond flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey (preferably local)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee, melted

Whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, almond flour, vanilla, and honey.
Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
Melt the coconut oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Pour most of the melted oil or ghee into the pancake batter, reserving some to grease the pan.
Spoon batter into the skillet and cook each pancake for about 30-60 seconds per side.
Serve immediately.

I’m not so married to my old family favorites that I won’t change it up every now and then and cook something different. My daughter just convinced her daddy to buy a couple of pumpkins for her and her sister the other day, so I used the pumpkin inside to whip up some pumpkin pancakes with this recipe. Note: if you use fresh pumpkin instead of canned, you might have to add more flour to the batter (maybe a couple of tablespoons more) to make it thick enough.

These recipes just prove that you can still enjoy pancakes for breakfast, even if you can’t eat flour. So, why not whip up some today and indulge?

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breakfast, Exotic Flavors

Three Mexican Breakfast Casserole Recipes

September 25, 2015March 31, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

I’ve always loved Mexican food, and I’ve long been a big fan of breakfast casseroles. There’s just something about cooking all those yummy flavors together that really thrills my taste buds. Plus, breakfast casseroles are 100% portable, so they’re the perfect dishes to take to share with others at Sunday School breakfasts or other morning get-togethers. Get out your favorite skillet and baking dish, and let’s start cooking one of these amazing Mexican breakfast casseroles, which I’ve adapted slightly from Marge Poore’s 1,000 Mexican Recipes to fit my family’s tastes.

Egg and Rice Casserole

Don’t let the name (or the plain ingredients) fool you.

There’s more to this recipe than meets the eye (or, in this case, the mouth)!

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
4 large (room temperature) eggs
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat for about two minutes.
Add the onion powder, rice, and cumin.
Cook about three to four minutes, stirring frequently. The rice should change color.
Add the broth and salt, and stir to combine all the ingredients.
Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes, until the liquid is all absorbed.
Remove the pan, uncover, and make four indentations in the rice.
Break an egg into each hole in the rice.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the rice and egg mixture.
Return the pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes. The whites of the eggs will be set, but the yolks will still be soft.
Serve immediately by spooning out a portion of the rice with each egg.

Egg and Tortilla Casserole

This casserole is a bit spicier than the rice and egg one above, so you might want to make that one for the kids, and this (or the one below it) for the grown-ups if you’re cooking for a family breakfast or brunch.

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 chopped medium tomatillos
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup water
1 7-ounce can of chopped green chiles
4 7-inch corn tortillas, cut into one-inch strips
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 large eggs
1/3 cup of milk
1/4 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and stir in the onion powder.
Stir in the tomatillos, salt, cumin, and water.
Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for about 5 to 7 minutes. The tomatillos will be soft and light green.
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the chiles.
Spread half of the skillet mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
Layer half of the tortilla strips and half of the cheese on top.
Repeat the layers with the rest of the chile mixture, tortilla strips, and cheese.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk together.
Pour evenly over the tortilla layers.
Sprinkle red bell pepper and green onions on top.
Bake, uncovered, for about 35 to 40 minutes. The casserole will be puffy, but well set in the center.
Let stand for 5 to 8 minutes.
Cut into squares and serve warm.

Chilaquiles: Tortilla Casserole with Eggs and Red Chile Sauce

6 7-inch tortillas, cut into half-inch strips
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups red chile sauce
1/2 cup grated queso fresco
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat the oil and fry the tortilla strips in batches until they are golden brown. Drain them on paper towels.
Pour off all but one tablespoon of the oil.
Add the beaten eggs and the salt and cook for about two minutes, until the eggs are just about to set.
Add the tortilla strips and the red chile sauce.
Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, until the tortilla strips fully absorb the sauce.
Sprinkle cheese, and then drizzle the sour cream over the top.
Serve immediately, while the chilaquiles are still warm.

Put one (or more) of these Mexican breakfast casseroles on the table, and you’re sure to wow all your breakfast or brunch guests. And you may just decide to put them on the regular meal plan rotation for yourself once you find out how good they really are!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breakfast, Fruit for Dessert, Just Desserts

Cream Cheese Pancakes with Cherries Jubilee Syrup

September 24, 2015March 31, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

It’s National Cherries Jubilee Day…and it’s also National Breakfast Month. I thought it would be fun to combine the two in a cherries jubilee pancake recipe. So, when I ran across this one, I had to try it out and share. This is a little more difficult to make than the usual old-fashioned pancake recipe I love, but it is so worth it. The next time you have brunch guests, you might want to give this a try to truly impress them!

Cream Cheese Pancakes with Cherries Jubilee Syrup

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 12 pancakes

An awesome variation on two old favorites – pancakes and cherries jubilee.

Ingredients

Pam cooking spray (optional)
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 10-ounce jar of maraschino cherries + juice and half the cherries in another jar
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract + half a cup of water
3 tablespoons white sugar
4 tablespoons of butter

Instructions

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, milk, vinegar, cream cheese, butter, orange juice, and vanilla.
Stir vigorously for two to three minutes until pancake batter is well mixed. There may be lumps.
Spoon out into heated skillet and cook over medium high heat for about 30-60 seconds per side.
Transfer cooked pancake to a serving plate and top with the cherries jubilee syrup.
To make the syrup: Heat the cherries and cherry juice, rum extract, lemon extract and water, sugar, and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cook, stirring, for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Spoon over the pancakes as soon as they are done.

I love this recipe, and I really love the fact that I can enjoy the cherries jubilee taste without all the alcohol or the potential for fire. I’m kind of a klutz in the kitchen, so I’m sure trying to set anything on fire on purpose would go really badly.

I’m glad to say, however, that this one was pure delight from start to finish…especially when it came time to eat the pancakes for our after-dinner treat. And there was plenty more batter left over for tomorrow’s breakfast. I can hardly wait!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breads, Breakfast, Fruit for Dessert, Microwave Baking

White Chocolate Blueberry Muffins

September 23, 2015March 31, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

There’s not much I like better than a good blueberry muffin, and I make some of the best (if I do say so myself). So, when I heard that this is National White Chocolate Day, I thought: What could be better than combining white chocolate chips with my favorite blueberry muffin recipe? And, of course, I had to try out baking these in the microwave. I’m becoming very fond of baking with a microwave. Turns out, these muffins were amazing! Here’s how to make them:

White Chocolate Blueberry Muffins

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 8 mins

Total time: 18 mins

Serves: 12-24

White chocolate gives my favorite blueberry muffin recipe an extra special touch. Make these any time you want to wow brunch guests!

Ingredients

½ cup white sugar
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Sprite
1 cup flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

Spray a microwave-safe muffin pan (I use a silicone mini muffin pan) with Pam cooking spray.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, yogurt, egg, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. The batter will be slightly thick.
Fold in the white chocolate chips and blueberries and stir gently.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups (6 regular-sized muffins or 12 mini muffins).
Microwave on Power Level 7 for 2-4 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
Let cool completely before removing from the pan.
Repeat for process of greasing the muffin pan, pouring the batter, and microwaving on Power Level 7 for 2-4 minutes to bake the remaining batter.

My mother-in-law first introduced me to the joys of the silicone muffin pan, and I’m so glad she did. This versatile pan can be used in the regular oven, as well as the microwave oven, so it’s perfect for all kinds of recipes. If you use it in the regular oven, though, you might have to put a metal cookie sheet or something under it for added stability. Happy baking!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking Healthy Food, Cooking with Chicken Leftovers, Exotic Flavors

Spicy Banana-Apple Chicken Curry

September 21, 2015April 2, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Today, September 21st, the International Banana Festival was celebrated in Fulton, Kentucky, which is about a four-hour drive away from me, so I was unable to make it, with the husband’s work schedule and the girls being in school. But I wanted to celebrate by cooking with bananas today, anyway, since we all love them so much at our house. And, since we’re still in National Chicken Month, I thought it would be fun to combine chicken and bananas, but I was drawing a blank until I did a Google search and ran across the idea of making a chicken curry with bananas.

I used my go-to chicken curry recipe as the base and ran with it, taking a few ideas here and there from banana curry recipes I found online. The apples were an afterthought because I had a few sitting around that were about to go bad, but they turned out to be a wonderful addition.

Here’s the full recipe:

Spicy Banana-Apple Chicken Curry

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 6 servings

Part sweet-and-sour chicken, part authentic Indian curry, this deliciously sweet curry sauce is a unique way to use up leftover crock pot chicken.

Ingredients

2 pounds of cooked shredded chicken
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons spicy curry powder
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 bananas
3 Gala apples
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

Spray a large saucepan with Pam cooking spray.
Stir together the chicken, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, ginger, tomato sauce, salt, cardamom, turmeric, cumin curry powders, red and black pepper, and nutmeg.
Cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes.
Slice bananas and dice apples and add to the saucepan.
Stir in the brown sugar and Greek yogurt until thoroughly blended.
Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve immediately with cooked jasmine rice.

Since my husband and I were so used to eating the other type of curry, this sweet version came as a bit of a surprise, but we both found that once we crossed over the “curry hurdle,” we both really enjoyed this dish. The girls, not surprisingly, wouldn’t even touch it, but that was okay because it left more for the grown-ups. It’s another winner to add to the “blah-buster leftover chicken recipes” category!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking with Chicken Leftovers, Sandwiches

Easy Cheesy Chicken Burger Recipe

September 18, 2015April 2, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

It’s National Cheeseburger Day! I love a good cheeseburger (and my older daughter has finally discovered them), but I don’t love all the fat. Admittedly, a lot of the fat comes from the cheese part of the burger, but most of it comes from the fatty hamburger. Chicken is a naturally leaner meat, so it’s a great choice for those times when you’re craving a burger, but you don’t want to load up on calories and fat. Turkey burgers are also excellent choices. I LOVE turkey burgers! But, since this is still National Chicken Month, I thought I would post my favorite easy chicken burger recipe.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Burger Recipe

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 35 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 6 burgers

When you’re in the mood for a cheeseburger but don’t want a lot of fat, try out this easy chicken burger recipe instead.

Ingredients

Pam cooking spray
1 lb ground chicken
2 tbspns plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Spray a large skillet with Pam cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, breadcrumbs, cheese, yogurt, and seasonings.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Take the meat mixture out of the fridge and form into 6 patties.
Cook each patty for 8-10 minutes per side.
Serve immediately, with an extra cheese slice, sliced tomato, and guacamole (if desired).

This is a delicious, somewhat healthy burger substitute that you can enjoy whenever you want. For our family, burgers are a natural Saturday lunch choice, but this recipe would be just as good for a fun family dinner…or perhaps a healthier sleepover snack alternative.

This same process (and even most of the same ingredients) would be great for turkey cheeseburgers too, so you don’t have to use chicken. In fact, this basic recipe is so versatile, you could probably use meatless alternatives to get this same effect. If you try this with ground soy or something else, I’d love to hear about it, so please share in the comments!

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Breads, Cooking Healthy Food, Cooking with Chicken Leftovers, Exotic Flavors, Old Family Recipes

Chicken and Apple Dumplings

September 17, 2015April 2, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

Today is National Apple Dumpling Day, and it’s also National Chicken Month, so I thought it would be neat to combine those two ideas into one scrumptious post with this chicken and apple dumpling recipe. I found an old dumpling recipe in a scrapbook my husband’s mother had made for us as a wedding present, and I decided to stuff those with a filling of apples, spices, and (you guessed it!) leftover crock pot chicken. And the best part is, you can use the leftover broth from the pot that you cooked the chicken in!

Here’s how I did it:

Chicken and Apple Dumplings

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins

Total time: 2 hours

Serves: 40 dumplings

This is a fresh take on an old-fashioned recipe I inherited from my husband’s grandmother. So good! You’ll definitely want to make this the next time you have company. You’ll impress their socks off!

Ingredients

1 lb cooked, shredded chicken breast
2 medium-sized Gala apples, diced
2 tbspns apple cider vinegar
2 tbspns water
3 tbspns brown sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp nutmeg
4 cups of flour
8 tsp baking powder
2 tsps salt
2 2/3 cups milk

Instructions

Chop up the apples and shred the chicken into tiny pieces.
Combine chicken and apples together with the water, vinegar, sugar, and spices, in a medium-sized microwavable bowl.
Microwave on high for two minutes, and then stir.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and milk with a fork.
Flour a flat surface well.
Spoon and flatten out a small portion of the dumpling dough.
Add a teaspoonful of the chicken and apple mixture.
Spoon out another layer of dough and connect the two.
Add the dumpling to hot, but not boiling, broth in a large stock pot on the stove.
Repeat this process until all the dumplings are formed.
Cover and simmer the dumplings, 8 at a time, for 15-20 minutes.
Serve immediately, and spoon the gravy in the pan over the dumplings, for extra flavor.

The idea to reuse the broth from the crock pot pan is not really my own. I got that from a blog post I read the other day, but I absolutely love it. You can reuse your leftover chicken AND the broth. That’s a double win!

Admittedly, this recipe takes some time and effort, but it is so worth it! Note: These dumplings are pretty big (about the size of a biscuit), so two per person makes a pretty decent serving size. This recipe can be halved, or even quartered, if you don’t want to make so many dumplings at once (or if you don’t want to spend so much time in the kitchen).

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking with Chicken Leftovers, Exotic Flavors

Copycat Restaurant Recipe: Cajun Chicken Linguine Alfredo

September 15, 2015April 2, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

September is National Chicken Month (I love chicken!), and today (the 15th) is National Linguine Day (who doesn’t love pasta?). So, when I thought about what I might blog about for today, Red Lobster’s Cajun Chicken Linguine Alfredo naturally popped into my head. It’s one of my favorite things to eat when I go there. I know, I know. Who goes to Red Lobster to eat chicken? Well, sometimes I do!

The Internet is full of copycat restaurant recipes, and this particular one from Red Lobster is one of them. There are many variations out there, but I finally found one (after a few tweaks here and there) that I thought tasted pretty much like the real thing.

And I love the fact that (did you guess?) you can use your leftover crock pot chicken to make this!

Here’s what I came up with. A definite whole-family pleaser!

Copycat Restaurant Recipe: Cajun Chicken Linguine Alfredo

Recipe Type: Main

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4 servings

This is a copycat variation of the delicious Red Lobster Cajun Chicken Linguine Alfredo.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (shredded or cut into strips)
2 cups half and half
1 tbspn flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp basil
8 ounces linguine
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

In a 2-quart sauce pan, melt the butter and add the cooked chicken.
Sautee over medium heat for about five minutes, until chicken just begins to brown.
Reduce heat to a simmer.
Stir in the half and half, flour, and seasonings.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fill a large pot halfway with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta to the water and put in one tablespoon of olive oil.
Reduce heat slightly (to a gentle boil), and cook pasta for 8-10 minutes.
Drain the pasta immediately and toss with the sauce.
Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the pasta and sauce, if desired.

Now you can buy the book that includes this recipe plus six others that are aimed at helping you turn your disappointing chicken leftovers into something that you and your whole family will look forward to eating.

Available for Kindle for only 99 cents – or get the full-color paperback version for $12.99.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.

Cooking Healthy Food, Cooking with Chicken Leftovers, Exotic Flavors, Super Sides

Delicious Thai Peanut Sauce

September 13, 2015August 29, 2018 Mishael Austin Witty

There aren’t a lot of Thai restaurants where I live, so we don’t eat this type of cuisine regularly, but my husband did take me to a Thai restaurant once, and we both enjoyed it. One of the things I loved most was the peanut sauce served with the chicken. Yum!

So, when I thought about celebrating National Peanut Day today, one of the first things I thought about was that peanut sauce. It’d been a long time since I’d had Thai peanut sauce, so I hit the Internet looking for easy-to-make at-home recipes. There’s a wide variety out there (seems that way for almost any recipe you find these days – everybody has their own take on things), but I took what I thought were the best, combined them, and created my own.

This sauce is a wonderful way to add some zest and flavor to dull leftover chicken. And if you’ve been following this blog long, you know I’m all about sprucing up chicken leftovers. And it’s totally easy. No special cooking skills required!

Here’s the recipe:

Delicious Thai Peanut Sauce

Recipe Type: Sauce

Cuisine: Thai

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 6 servings

This version of Thai peanut sauce is so easy, anyone can make it. It’s an exciting addition to leftover chicken.

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter (either crunchy or creamy)
1/2 cup honey
1 8-oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
1/2 cup peanuts (halved)

Instructions

Add the peanut butter, honey, coconut milk, lemon juice, and soy sauce to a blender jar.
Blend for about 30 seconds on medium speed, and then reduce speed to low for 30 more seconds until the mixture is smooth.
Pour mixture into a medium saucepan.
Stir in the turmeric, cumin, red pepper, garlic, basil, and peanuts.
Heat over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until heated through and completely combined.
Serve immediately by spooning over shredded leftover chicken and prepared jasmine rice.

Like I said, it has been a long time since I went to that Thai restaurant, so I can’t attest to how close this recipe is to restaurant quality…and I certainly can’t say how authentic it is, since I’ve never been to Thailand. But I can say, for certain, that this makes for a yummy dinner. Even my kids like this sauce (they love peanuts, peanut butter, and soy sauce).

It looks like this is one recipe that might stay in our monthly dinner rotation for a long time!
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Breads, Breakfast, Microwave Baking

Spicy Honey Microwave Beet Bread

September 10, 2015April 2, 2020 Mishael Austin Witty

My girls love beets. I mean, they really, really do. So we eat a lot of them around here (usually of the canned variety). The other day, I opened a can to put some in my older daughter’s lunch (and to give my younger daughter for breakfast). As I pulled out the vegetable slices with a fork, I contemplated the liquid left over inside the can.

What should I do with it? I didn’t want to just throw it out, if there was any way I might be able to use it. And then my thoughts naturally turned to the microwave breads and cakes I’d been making. What if I could make a beet bread using this leftover juice? Well, it turns out I could…and I did. Here’s my spicy honey microwave beet bread recipe.

Spicy Honey Microwave Beet Bread

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 8 servings

What do you do with the juice leftover from a can of beets? Just throw it out? Why on earth would you do that when you can make this wonderful spicy honey microwave beet bread?

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups beet juice
2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup honey (preferably local)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

Grease a glass loaf pan.
Pour the beet juice into a large mixing bowl.
Add the two eggs and combine thoroughly.
Pour in the sugar and honey and mix together well.
Stir in the yogurt, flour, baking soda, salt, coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
Cover the pan with wax paper.
Cook in the microwave on medium (power level 5) for 10 minutes. Turn the pan halfway through cooking, if your microwave does not have a turntable.
Cook, covered, on high for two minutes.
Remove and serve immediately.

This bread is a bit spongier than the other microwave bread recipes listed on this site, but I think that’s because of the honey. Still, I think it’s delicious, and the honey makes this recipe a bit healthier than some of the other bread recipes I’ve posted so far. The spongy texture is a small price to pay for the obvious health benefits.

And it’s an AMAZING breakfast treat with vanilla yogurt spread on top. I just had some this morning!

Don’t have access to local raw honey? Check out manuka honey. It’s touted as a extra-super version of that amazing liquid gold superfood.

Fifteen years ago, I went to a party a friend was hosting and bought a stoneware mini loaf pan. I still have that thing today, and it’s just as awesome.

When I got married almost 13 years ago, I let the friend of a friend do a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me. I still have all those things too!

I’ve been buying Pampered Chef products at various parties (mostly online now) ever since. I have never been disappointed by a single thing I’ve bought with Pampered Chef.