Grilled Turkey Tenderloins

My husband is the grill master!  It is one of the reasons I get excited about warmer weather.  I beg him to grill for us most weekends.  This grilled turkey is amazing!  Seriously, you won't want to eat turkey prepared any other way!  So, so good!  We always double this recipe.  Who doesn't love delicious leftovers?!

The picture is a double recipe (four small tenderloins) but the recipe is for a single recipe (two small tenderloins).

Grilled Turkey Tenderloins

2 turkey tenderloins (about 2 pounds)
1 T minced garlic
1 t black pepper
1 T plus 1 t Worcestershire sauce*
2 T brown sugar
1 t salt
2 T vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients in a large ziplock bag.  Add tenderloins and marinate in the refriderator for at least 6 hours up to overnight.

In our kamado style smoker and convection grill, he preheated the temperature to 400 ^oF and cooked for about about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170-175 ^oF.

* For those on a gluten-free diet, we recommend Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce.

Roasted Sausage and Summer Vegetables

I love fresh summer vegetables.  I don't grow them myself, but my local grocery store does a good job of stocking locally grown produce this time of year.  I always try to be sure to incorporate some into my menu.  I especially love the summer zucchini and squash.  There are several recipes similar to this one floating around.  I made this one similar to how I like to roast my vegetables in my other recipes.  It turned out really well.  I debated on how much oil to use.  This time I used ¹/₃ cup.  I think I may try reducing that to ¼ cup the next time I make it.  That may depend on your own taste.  This recipe is a good, quick recipe that we all need during the busy back to school season!

Roasted Sausage and Summer Vegetables

2 13 oz packages of turkey kielbasa, sliced*

2 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced

2 medium yellow squash, quartered and sliced

1 sweet onion, cubed

1 orange bell pepper, cubed

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 t seasoned salt*

1 t pepper

1 t Italian blend seasoning

¼ - ¹/₃ c extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425^o.  After slicing and chopping, place sausage and vegetables in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with garlic and spices.  Drizzle with oil.  With a large spoon, gently mix until oil and spices are evenly coated.  Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spread sausage and vegetable mixture evenly on pans.  Place both pans in preheated oven.  (The pans can be placed on two different oven racks.)  Bake for about 30-45 minutes.  While cooking, stirring once or twice and rotate pans to roast evenly.  Serve with your favorite couscous*, quinoa or rice.

*These items could contain gluten.  If you have a gluten allergy, check the labels carefully or use a safe substitute.  

Banana Cake {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

So, April came and went...  We had a crazy busy month.  That was the first month I haven't posted since I started this blog over four years ago.  But the recipe I am posting today is worth the wait!

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for banana cake that I thought was going to be egg-free.  But when I opened the link, it had eggs.  Boo!  But my mouth was already watering for banana cake.  What is a gal suppose to do?
I thought about it for a few days and decided to create my own recipe.  What do you know, it turned out great!  I even made a two layer cake!

The cake recipe can easily be made dairy-free.  I frosted mine with Cream Cheese Frosting (EF, GF)  and topped it with toasted pecans.  If you are allergic to dairy, use your favorite dairy-free frosting or you could simply sprinkle with powdered sugar.  And of course the pecans would be optional, too.  Enjoy!

If you like this recipe, you  must also try my most popular recipe for Banana Muffins (EF, DF).  

Banana Cake

6 medium mashed bananas

½ c vegetable oil

½ c milk or non-dairy milk

2 t vanilla extract

3 c flour

2 c sugar

2 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 T white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350^o.  Cut out wax paper into a circle that fits the bottom of two round cake pans.  Place wax paper in the bottom of the pan then grease with shortening on top of the paper and up the sides.  Set aside.  

Mix cake in a bowl or with a stand mixer.  Blend the bananas until smooth.  Add oil, milk and vanilla mixing until combined.  Slowing add in the dry ingredients, while mixing the batter.  Once batter is smooth, then mix in vinegar.  The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise, so you don’t want to put it in too early. 

Pour batter evenly in the two prepared pans immediately and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cake in pans on wire rack for about 20-30 minutes.  Invert onto wire rack, carefully peel off wax paper and cool completely.  When cooled, frost with your favorite icing.

Note:  I have not yet tried this cake in a 9x13 cake pan.  When and if I do, I will update the cook time here.  If you try it first, let me know how it turned out!  Thanks!

Honey Oatmeal Bread

I found this recipe a while back and finally made it Easter weekend.  It is SO good!  We loved it and it was gone in less than 24 hours.  Baking this bread also makes your house smell wonderful!!

I like to think it is pretty healthy too.  It has some whole wheat flour and whole grain oat.  But it has enough all-purpose flour in it to keep even the pickiest palate interested.  I also like that it has honey instead of sugar.  This recipe does have a little bit of butter.  I think it could easily be made dairy-free with a non-dairy margarine.

Honey Oatmeal Bread << Click here to link to recipe.

Southwest Barbecue Chicken

We have been trying to grill most weekend, even during the winter months.  It has been wonderful!  I love grilled food and it makes excellent leftovers!  Mmmmm.

This recipe came out of my husband's favorite grilling book.  I think a friend recommended it to him.  If you are looking for a good one, check it the link below.  The recipe below is one-third of the the one in the book.  We adjusted it for the amount of chicken we were cooking so we wouldn't have to store the leftover spice mix that would likely get lost in the cabinet.  We also added some more specific instructions.

 Try the grilled chicken cut up with some southwest tossed salad!

Southwest Barbecue Chicken

Recipe credit:  Wild Willy's Number One-derful Rub 

Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue by Cheryl and Bill Jamison

¼ c paprika

2 T black pepper

1T salt

1T sugar

2 t chili powder

2 t garlic

2 t onion

1 t cayenne (optional)

½ c vegetable oil

Mix vegetable oil and spices in a resealable plastic bag.  Place chicken into the bag.  Knead bag to coat chicken with marinade. Squeeze out air, seal bag, and refrigerate at least 4 hours up to overnight.  Remove chicken from marinade.  Grill chicken on preheated grill until browned, the juices run clear, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest piece reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

We have a kamado style smoker and convection grill.  These aren’t extremely common.  But if you do have one, this is how we cooked it.  Set the dome temperature to 370 ^oF.  Cook on each side for about 10-12 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken is more than 160 ^oF. 

Blackened Tilapia

I am so glad my kids will eat fish.  It cooks up pretty quick and is a great source of lean protein.  I looked up several recipes for blackened tilapia.  Blackened Tilapia on the blog Like Mother Like Daughter is the recipe I got the most inspiration from.  Enjoy!

Blackened Tilapia
Inspired by:  Blackened Tilapia on the blog Like Mother Like Daughter

2 T chili powder
2 T paprika
2 t black pepper
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried thyme
1-2 t brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t cayenne (optional)
2 pounds of tilapia
olive oil to grease your skillet

Mix all the spices in a rimmed plate.  I like to use a glass pie plate.  Rinse and pat dry your thawed tilapia.  Press one side of the tilapia onto the spice mixture.  Turn over and press again until both sides have a thin coating of spice.  For best results, cover with plastic wrap and put into your fridge about a hour.  I have skipped this step and the fish still cooks up great.  Preheat 1 to 2 TBSP olive oil at a time in a large frying pan on medium high heat.  Place your tilapia in pan and fry 3-4 minutes on each side, or until fish is cooked throughout and flakes easily with a fork.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

We haven't let the cooler temperatures stop us from grilling this year.  My husband has made these fajitas a couple of times this month because they were such a big hit.  Plus, he was adjusting this recipe and wanted to make a few changes. We put our chicken on warm tortillas and topped them with sauteed onions and shredded cheese.  If you are are on a gluten-free diet, try corn tortillas.  Yum!

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Inspired by:  Easy Chicken Fajita Marinade at allrecipes.com

½ c vegetable oil

¼ c lime juice

2 T honey

2 T chili powder

2 T garlic powder

1 T ground black pepper
1 t salt

½ t paprika

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Mix vegetable oil, lime juice, honey and spices in a resealable plastic bag.  Place chicken strips into the bag.  Knead bag to coat chicken with marinade. Squeeze out air, seal bag, and refrigerate at least 4 hours up to overnight.  Remove chicken strips from marinade; discard remaining marinade.  Grill chicken on preheated grill until browned, the juices run clear, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest piece reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

We have a komodo style smoker and convection grill.  These aren’t extremely common.  But if you do have one, set the dome temperature to 370 ^oF.  Cook on each side for about 5 minutes per side (assuming you precut the chicken into strips) or until the internal temperature of the chicken is more than 160 ^oF. 

Kielbasa and White Bean Stew {Slow-cooker}

For lunch, I all too often end up eating some of the quick kid favorites I keep on hand for lunches at school and home.  I decided I needed some quick, healthier options for myself.  I was on the look out for some kind of soup that would freeze well.  I found this one on Pinterest.  It is easy to prepare.  You just toss it all in the slow-cooker with very little prep work.  Then I split it up into individual freezer containers.  It thaws well in the microwave and is quite filling.  This is a great lunch for a cold winter day.  This recipe is a keeper!

Notes:  I made this with turkey sausage, as suggested.  For dairy-free, omit Parmesan cheese.  For gluten-free, make sure your sausage and chicken broth are gluten-free.

Slow-cooker Kielbasa and White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach - Click to link to recipe.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

My husband really loves Cranberry Nut Bread (EF, DF).  One bag of cranberries would make 3 loaves.  So, I decided to make some of the cranberries into muffins and freeze for later use.  Here is the adjusted recipe and they froze great!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

1 c flour

1 c whole-wheat flour

1 c sugar

2 t baking powder

1 t soda

½ t salt

Juice from one orange (about 1/3 c)

Freshly grated rind from one orange (about 1-2 t)

1/3 c vegetable oil

¾ c water 

1 c cranberries, cut in half

Preheat oven to 350^o.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.  Mix liquid with dry ingredients.  Stir in cranberries.  Spoon into muffin cups.  Bake about 18 minutes.  Cool in pan before removing. 

Makes about 18 muffins

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

I have always wanted to like Brussels Sprouts but never really have.  Until, I had them raw in a salad and liked them.  I thought there just had to be a way to cook them that actually tasted good.  Then my friend sauteed them for me!  Finally, a delicious way to eat Brussels Sprouts!  My friend just used butter, salt and pepper.  I did half butter and half olive oil. This gives you the same buttery flavor with less unhealthy fats and cholesterol.  It is also less likely to scorch with a little oil mixed in.  I made these with our Thanksgiving feast!

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

1/2 T butter*
1/2 T olive oil
9 oz package shredded Brussels Sprouts
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Heat oil and butter until butter melts.  Add Brussels sprouts, salt and pepper and sautee about 5-6 minutes on medium heat until soften.  Serve immediately.

*If you have a dairy allergy, omit butter and double olive oil.

Fruit Cornucopia

Here is a cute way to serve fruit today!  Even your pickiest little eaters will enjoy these fruit cornucopias.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hobo Dinners

Do you need a quick weeknight dinner?  Try these!  I think they are a great cool weather food.  You could even prepare them the night before or in the morning before work.  Then you just have to put them in the oven when you get home.  Can't beat that!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Meat, Potatoes and Green Beans (EF, DF, GF).

Hobo Dinners - click to link to recipe.

Allergen notes:  These could easily be made dairy free by using a non-dairy margarine in place of the butter.

Applesauce Muffins

I have been feeling a little frustrated with school lunches.  My kids typically take about 45 minutes to eat a meal.  At school, they get 20 minutes.  Therefore, they don't typically eat enough for lunch.  So, I have been trying to pack things that they can eat quickly, while giving them some much needed energy!

I store these muffins in the freezer to pack in lunches.  If you pack the muffin frozen, it is thawed well before lunch time.  With the muffin, I pack a Greek yogurt stick, fruit and veggies.  The muffins are made with unsweetened applesauce and honey to keep the sugar lower than most muffin recipes but they are still sweet enough to keep the kids interested in them.  They also have some oat and whole wheat flour to give a little fiber boost in their meal.  I hope your kids like them as much as mine do!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Applesauce Spice Cake (EF, DF).

Applesauce Muffins

½ c old fashioned oats, blended

½ c whole wheat flour

½ c all-purpose flour

½ c honey

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

½ t salt

¼ c vegetable oil

¼ c milk or non-dairy milk

1 c unsweetened applesauce

1 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla extract

Measure ½ c oats and blend in a blender or food processor until a course powder and set aside.  Be sure to measure the oats before blending them.  Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, blend applesauce, oil, milk and vanilla mixing until combined.  Slowing add in the dry ingredients, while mixing the batter.  Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased muffin tins.  Bake at 375^o for about 16 minutes.  Cool in muffin tins. 

Makes 12 muffins

Mexican Zucchini

Do you need a quick meal on a busy school night before you race off for your kids' activities?  Try this one!  It is pretty healthy, too.  I liked it as is, but I also served it over seasoned Spanish rice.

Mexican Zucchini and Beef - click to link to recipe.

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

I made this side dish with a Cuban pork roast we had a few weeks ago.  It was delicious and pretty easy.  I even froze some of it and it reheated really well later.  

Note on the recipe:  I didn't use a dutch oven.  I just cooked it in a large covered skillet.  Be sure to adjust your liquid to the amount suggested with your particular rice.  If your rice calls for less liquid, it will cook up mushy.  

Cuban Black Beans and Rice - Click to link to recipe.

Mojo-Marinated Pork Roast

As promised from my last post, Pork Cubanos, here is the post for the pork roast that the recipe refers to.  It is actually on the same link as the prior post but further down on the page.

I am kind of weird.  I love fruit.  I love fruity desserts.  But I generally don't love fruit flavors with my meat.  But because I really wanted to try the authentic recipe used in the Chef movie to make my cubanos (see prior post), I gave this recipe a try.  Considering I don't normally like fruity meats, this recipe was really good.  I used two pork tenderloins that I got on sale.  We ate pork roast with some beans and rice the first night and made the sandwiches the second night with the leftovers.  But when you put this same roast on the sandwiches, it doesn't taste fruity at all.  Maybe the pickles and mustard perfectly complement the orange in the meat.

We liked the roast but next time, we will just go straight to the sandwiches and skip eating it any other way!  I did love the Cuban black beans and rice recipe I found.  I will post that one next!

Mojo-Marinated Pork Roast - Click to link to the recipe.

Cheesesteaks

Simple.  Quick.  Delicious.  You have to try these.  My husband loved them.  We have made this recipe a few times for a quick weekend meal during our busy summer months.

I found some frozen very thinly sliced sirloin at my local wholesale food store.  I actually made these with that meat from frozen.  It cooked up surprisingly quick to have been cooked from frozen.  I think I will start keeping that meat on hand for a quick dinner.

Cheesesteaks

1 lb steak, trimmed and thinly sliced

½ bell pepper sliced

½ onion sliced

1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 T Worcestershire sauce

4 slices Provolone cheese

Cook steak, until browned in a nonstick skillet.  Remove steak from skillet and drain on paper towels.  Sauté veggies in 1T of steak grease OR in 1T olive oil, until tender and onion starts to be translucent.  Then add garlic and sauté another minute.  Return the meat to the pan with the vegetables, add Worcestershire sauce and sauté until browned.  Separate meat mixture into four sections in the pan.  Top with cheese slices and keep pan on warm until cheese starts to melt.  Spoon onto warm hoagie rolls.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Allergen notes:  If making dairy-free, make sure your choice of bread is dairy-free and omit cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.  If making gluten-free, make sure your Worcestershire sauce and bread are gluten free.

Fresh Pear Muffins {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

I think it is safe to say that almost any overripe fruit or vegetable gets cooked at my house.  I hate wasting food and cooking helps it last a little longer.  I usually roast vegetables that have been around a little too long.  I think almost all overripe fruit ends up in some kind of muffin!  Yum!  Here is a recipe for pear muffins.  Enjoy!

Fresh Pear Muffins

1 c flour

1 c whole wheat flour

½ c sugar

½ c brown sugar

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

5 c pears, peeled and chopped (about 5)

½ c vegetable oil

¼ c honey

1 t vanilla

1 c chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° and put paper liners in muffin cups.  Set aside.  Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, except for pecans (if using).  With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Stir in pecans.  Spoon evenly into prepared into paper lined muffin cups.  

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes.  Move to wire rack to cool completely.  
Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

Zucchini and Corn

This is the side dish I made to go with the Mexican Picadillo from my last post.  I thought it was really good together and I will for sure be making both recipes again.  I also like that this recipe uses fresh summer produce!

Zucchini & Corn - Click to link to recipe.  To make dairy-free, simply omit the Parmesan cheese.

Mexican Picadillo

You have to try this!  It is so good.  My kids also really liked it.

The only note I have on the recipe is that it took me longer than the recipe stated to cook it.  My potatoes still were not tender after the recommended time.  I ended up covering mine to get them tender.  Next time, I will cover it to cook until the potatoes are tender then remove the lid until the excess moisture is reduced.  If you are on a gluten-free diet, make sure the beef broth/stock you use is gluten-free.

If you like this recipe, you may also like Meat Potatoes & Green Beans (EF, DF, GF).

Mexican Picadillo - Click to link to recipe.