New Twists on Old Favorites

This week, we will focus on some new twists on some old favorites.

A great way to change up the winter routine... try a new recipe this week!

Overnight Baked Oatmeal

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 45 min.

Refrigerate Time: 8 hrs.

Stand Time: 10 min.

Total Time: 9 hrs. 10 min.

Servings: 6 

2 lg. eggs

2 C. milk or unsweetened plant milk of your choice

1/4 C. maple syrup

1/4 C. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 C. regular rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1/3 C. dry amaranth, buckwheat groats or quinoa (optional)

Grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. 

Whisk eggs, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together in the prepared dish. 

Stir in oats and amaranth. 

Cover and chill at least overnight or up to 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover and stir to re-incorporate all of the ingredients.

Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and the center is set, 45 to 55 min.

Let stand 10 min. before serving. Serve warm.

Flavor Options:

Berry Lemon: Omit cinnamon. Gently stir in 1 tsp. lemon zest and 1 C. total of berries: blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries.

Banana Chocolate Chip: Mash 1/2 lg. ripe banana, slice 1 lg. ripe banana. Gently stir in the banana and 1/2 C. dark chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, or mini chips.

Dried Fruit and Nut: Gently stir in 1/2 C. toasted chopped walnuts or almonds, 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg or cardamom and 1 C. dried fruit: cranberries, snipped apricots, blueberries and/or dried cherries.

Apple and Peanut Butter: Stir in 1 lg. unpeeled apple, cored and chopped, and 1/4 C. peanut butter.

Note: For individual servings, combine ingredients in a large bowl and portion into 6 greased (6 oz.) ramekins or half-pint jars. Cover and chill overnight or up to 3 days. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 min., when ready to serve.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Casserole

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cook Time: 40 min.

Total Time:1 hr.

Servings:10 

12 (1/2-in thick) slices sourdough bread (about 20 oz.)

1/4 C. butter, softened, divided

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

12 slices pre-sliced cheddar cheese

2 (10.75-oz.) cans condensed tomato soup 

1 C. tomato juice

2 lg. eggs

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 C. shredded Italian blend or cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. 

Spread 6 slices of bread with 2 T. butter on one side.

Lay buttered slices of bread, butter side down, on an extra large baking sheet. 

Spread bread slices evenly with cream cheese. 

Top each bread slice with 2 slices of cheddar cheese

Top cheese with remaining bread slices.

Spread tops of bread slices with 2 T. butter. 

Bake sandwiches for 12 to 14 min., flipping once, until cheese is melted. Let sandwiches cool at least 15 min. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Meanwhile, prepare soup mixture. Whisk together tomato soup, tomato juice, eggs, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a bowl. Stir in chopped tomato.

Cut toasted sandwiches into 1-inch cubes.

Pour soup mixture into prepared dish.

Place cubes evenly over soup mixture in dish; pressing slightly to submerge in soup mixture. 

Sprinkle with shredded Italian blend cheese. 

Bake until heated through, golden brown, and cheese is melted, 25 to 30 min.

Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf

Total: 1 hr. 30 min.

Active: 15 min.

Servings: 8 (1 in. thick) slices

3/4 C. quick-cooking oats

1/2 C. skim milk

1 med. onion, peeled

2 lbs. ground turkey breast

1/2 C. chopped red bell pepper

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 C. ketchup

1/2 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk. Thinly slice 1/4 of the onion and set aside. Finely chop the remaining onion. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2-1/2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Bake for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 min. before slicing.

Million Dollar Green Beans

Prep Time:15 min.

Cook Time: 15 min.

Total Time: 30 min.

Servings: 8

6 slices bacon, coarsely chopped

1/2 C. finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 C. packed brown sugar

3 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen whole or cut green beans, thawed and drained

crushed red pepper to taste (optional)

Cook bacon in a very large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 8 min. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Drain bacon grease, reserving 1 T. drippings in the skillet.

Add onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until onion is tender, stirring often, about 2 min.

Add brown sugar and soy sauce to the skillet. Cook and stir over medium-low until mixture begins to thicken, about 1 minute.

Add beans to the skillet; cook until beans are tender and sauce is glaze-like, about 5 min. 

Serve beans topped with crispy bacon and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Homemade Healthy Peanut Butter Cups 

Prep Time: 10 min.  

Total Time: 10 min.

1 (3.5 oz.) dark chocolate bar

1/2 C. creamy natural peanut butter

1/2 T. pure maple syrup

1/2 T. coconut flour

Pinch of salt, if your peanut butter isn’t already salted

Fancy sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Line a mini muffin pan with 9 mini liners. 

Place 1.75 ounces of dark chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate is melted. 

Once chocolate is melted, add 1 tsp. to the bottom of each cup. Use the spoon to push/spread the chocolate all the way up sides of each liner. 

Once you’ve filled all the cups, place the pan in freezer for just a few minutes to harden the chocolate.

Peanut butter cup filling: Add peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut flour to a medium bowl and mix until smooth, place 1/2 T. of the mixture in each cup on top of the chocolate. It should fill pretty much to the top. 

Place back in the freezer while you melt the remaining chocolate bar in the microwave as you did with the previous bar.

Spoon about 1 tsp. on top of the peanut butter, making sure you cover all of the peanut butter filling. Freeze for 5-10 min. until chocolate is solid. 

Once cups are firm, you can store them in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat. 

Brownie Rubble

Level: Easy

Total: 1 hr. 20 min.

Prep: 40 min.

Cook: 40 min.

Servings:12-18

2 sticks plus 2 T. unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

1 C. flour, plus more for dusting

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 C. sugar

3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 lg. eggs, cold

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. mini marshmallows

1 C. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 C. unsalted roasted peanuts

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with foil, pressing it into the corners and up the sides; leave an overhang on 2 sides. Butter the foil and dust with flour. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 400°F.

Bring 1 inch water to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl; set the bowl over the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.

Add the sugar, cocoa and salt to the bowl and stir vigorously until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, until the batter is thick and shiny. Add the vanilla and flour, mix until combined. Spread in the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35 min. Remove from the oven and scatter the marshmallows, chocolate chips and peanuts on top. Return to the oven; continue baking until the marshmallows are golden, about 5 more min.

Let cool in the pan on a rack, 30 min. Lift the brownies out of the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board to cool completely before slicing.

Quote of the Week:

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” 

~ Abraham Lincoln