Quick and Easy Waffles

January 18, 2015 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Perfectly golden and crisp on the outside, with a light and fluffy interior. Top with a pat of butter and warm maple syrup, and dig into these mouthwatering breakfast treats. Quick and Easy Waffles are great to throw together for a speedy and decadent weekend breakfast, and are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Happy Sunday! I hope you’ve been staying warm this week! It was so cold in the beginning of the week, that the boys and I decided to just hang around the house. Sometimes those are the best days. 🙂 We had fun playing, doing projects together, and of course, creating many new things in the kitchen. Thankfully, the temperature warmed up a bit this weekend, and we were able to bundle up and head outside. The boys loved playing in the snow! We even built a tiny snowman and had some sled races. It was great to have Grandpa join us in our snowy backyard fun! Here are a few pictures from this week:

With all of the wintery weather outside, I love heating up our house with a nice warm breakfast. These Quick and Easy Waffles are the perfect morning treat. They only require a few basic ingredients, that I’m guessing you already have in your kitchen. These waffles are great to make with your kids, or can easily be whipped up before the little ones, or your husband, even get out of bed. There is just something so wonderful about coming down to the aromas of rich, buttery, freshly baked waffles.

Another thing I love about enjoying these waffles on the weekend, is that they are FANTASTIC when reheated. Plus, they also freeze well, too! Just pop a few in the toaster, slather on the butter and syrup, and you can dig into that weekend goodness all week long.

For a little variation, try topping these waffles with fresh fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries or bananas. If you’re craving something a bit more decadent, add chocolate chips and whipped cream. However you dress them up, one thing is for sure, these Quick and Easy Waffles will be a family favorite in no time!

Quick and Easy Waffles

Yield: 14 waffles

Slightly crisp and fluffy waffles that come together in a flash.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, slightly beat eggs, then whisk in the milk and vanilla.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add the wet ingredients, and gently whisk together. Don't over mix. Then carefully fold in the butter with a rubber spatula until just combined, batter should be slightly lumpy.
Using a preheated waffle iron that is lightly greased with cooking spray, pour batter onto iron, spread slightly if needed, and gently close lid. (Use about 1/4 cup batter for an iron that makes smaller waffles, or about 1 cup batter for an iron that makes larger waffles). Bake according to waffle maker directions. When waffles are done, carefully remove from griddle with a fork. Repeat with remaining batter and serve warm with syrup.

Notes

To keep waffles warm while cooking, place waffles on a wire rack on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

http://elizabethshome.com/quick-and-easy-waffles/

If you’re looking for another family favorite breakfast recipe, you’ll love these Classic Pancakes! For a gluten free option, these No Butter, No Flour Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote and Oat Flour Blueberry Pancakes are also favorites. 🙂

Turkey Taco Chili

November 10, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Loaded with fresh ground turkey, beans, and vegetables, and simmered in a rich, tomato broth. Turkey Taco Chili is healthy, hearty, flavorful and easy to make! Pile on the fixings and dive into a warm bowl of chili goodness.

Hi! Thanks for visiting again! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. It was actually quite a big week around here for us. My birthday was Wednesday and Andrew took the day off of work. I can’t even begin to say how much he did to make me feel more than loved for my special day. He kicked off the celebration by bringing me two dozen pink roses the night before. On my birthday, I woke up to the house decorated and picked up, a hot breakfast, and the sweetest card. I was even treated to a mid-morning nap while Andrew watched the boys so I could get a few extra birthday zzzzs. Birthday fest continued with Grandma and Grandpa Lovasz coming over at 11:00am to watch the big boys, while Andrew and I (and Charlie) headed out to lunch, a day of shopping, and a special celebration dinner. We all had such a great day! William and James had so much fun playing and being spoiled by their wonderful Grandparents. Andrew and I were thrilled to have an entire afternoon AND evening (almost) just the two of us. We had a delicious and very fun lunch at Crispelli’s, where we enjoyed margarita pizzas and salads.

Then we headed onward to Somerset Mall do ~~a little~~ a lot of birthday shopping. After a while, we decided to refuel with a little birthday Starbucks. Wow, I think we forgot how amazing it feels to sip a hot drink with each other on a weekday afternoon and talk, just us. After our snack break, we continued on with our shopping. Andrew planned out our entire shopping trip, complete with a map and everything! I was totally impressed! And definitely spoiled 😉 After all of our shopping fun, we headed to Ocean Prime for the most wonderful dinner. For dinner we enjoyed a crab and shrimp salad, ribeye steak with a giant twice baked potato, and a special chocolate peanut butter mousse pie for dessert. Deeeelicious!!! I am so thankful for such an incredible day! 🙂

When you don’t have the night off from cooking, grab this recipe and head to the kitchen. We just love this Turkey Taco Chili and I’m sure you will too! It’s delightfully delicious, incredibly nutritious, and super duper easy to make. Such a winning combination!

My inspiration for this recipe came from Skinny Taste’s Turkey Chili Taco Soup. I came across this chili a few months back, when I was scouring the internet for ideas of freezer friendly meals to make for after Charlie. I liked the look of it enough to add it to my list of “things to make for when baby comes”. Of course, before I even stepped foot in the kitchen to make it, I took my pen and made a bunch of changes to it. (I guess I view cooking as an art. My meals and recipes are like my canvas, and I am the artist creating a work of art.) As I’m sure I’ve told you many times, I just love to cook, but especially love CREATING new, wonderful recipes in my kitchen. This Turkey Taco Chili is so so yummy! I just love the flavors of the ground turkey, beans, corn, and tomatoes in every bite.

It’s super heathy, seriously easy to whip together, and even freezer friendly. Simmer on the stove for a short time, serve it up, load with toppings and DIG IN! This is such a great recipe to add to you winter meals this season.

Turkey Taco Chili

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
3 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, and juices
1 (4 ounce) cans diced, mild green chilies
1 1/2 cups frozen yellow corn
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper

To Double:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds ground turkey
6 large onions, diced
12 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, and juices
2 (4 ounce) cans diced, mild green chilies
3 cups frozen yellow corn
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons tomato paste
10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon while cooking.
When turkey is cooked, stir in onions and garlic, and cook until slightly softened, for about 5 minutes. Then add beans, tomatoes, green chilies, corn, spices, tomato paste, chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve chili garnished with sour cream, shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese, and sliced scallions on top, and a side of tortilla chips.

http://elizabethshome.com/turkey-taco-chili/

If you’re looking for another great ground turkey soup recipe, you’ll have to try my Turkey Stuffed Pepper Soup.

Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera

October 12, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Perfectly cooked pasta surrounded by fresh spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and green peas. Sautéed in a flavorful white wine sauce, and topped with a heaping helping of parmesan cheese. Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera packs a ton of veggies and rich flavors into a little bowl of fall perfection.

It’s Sunday, and we know what that means. Time to catch up about our week, and share another fun recipe. Thankfully it was a relatively calm week around here. The boys and I had lots of fun at the library for story time, ran some errands, and even had a few very fun playdates! Charlie had his four-month checkup on Thursday, and I am happy to report that he is healthy and doing well! He weighed in at 13 pounds 4 ounces, and is now 25 1/2 inches tall. He was a trooper for his appointment, and I even survived taking all three boys to the appointment by myself 🙂 We had a lot of (much needed) low-key family fun this weekend, as well! Here are a few pictures:

It seems like fall is officially here, and the temperatures are dropping. What could be a better way to welcome the cooler weather than by cooking up a huge bowl of this light, flavorful pasta dish. Overflowing with fresh veggies and tender whole wheat pasta, this is one recipe that you will definitely want to add to your fall (or anytime) favorites!

This recipe was inspired from a restaurant we loved in Atlanta, called Figo. I remember having this dish quite often when I was newly pregnant with William, and we were going through a move. When I was pregnant with James a few years ago, I was seriously craving this meal, and was more than inspired to recreate it at home. I pulled up the menu on their website to gather all of the information I could on this one, and then put my thinking cap on. With a few tests and tweaks, I am so excited to say that I think this recipe is even BETTER than the dish from Figo. It’s just that good! I love how the curly pasta soaks up the flavor of the white wine sauce and the fresh veggies. The extra-virgin oil and parmesan cheese add the perfect depth and richness. This can be a great “meatless” meal, or add strips of grilled chicken for some added protein.

Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera is an easy to make, one bowl meal that is sure to satisfy your entire family.

Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera

Ingredients

16 ounces whole wheat fusilli pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 Roma tomatoes, seeds and pulp removed and diced
3 cups broccoli florets, bite size
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups packed fresh spinach, roughly torn
1 cup green peas
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon good quality extra-virgin olive oil,
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Instructions

In a large pot, bring water for pasta to a boil. When water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and the pasta to the water and stir. Cook until al dente, drain pasta, then move to a large bowl, and toss with 1 tablespoon (good quality oil), loosely cover pasta with foil and set aside.
Now, in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, broccoli and wine, and cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender, stirring often. Add spinach and peas and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Move sauce to a serving bowl, and toss with 1/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil.
To serve, spoon 1 1/2 cups of pasta and 1 cup of sauce in a bowl and gently stir together, top with cheese and serve.

Notes

For multiple servings, combine all of the pasta with the sauce in a large serving bowl. Toss together and then divide into individual bowls, passing the parmesan as you go.

http://elizabethshome.com/whole-wheat-pasta-primavera/

Check out my earlier version of this Pasta Primavera recipe on my old blog.

Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Apple Chutney

April 13, 2014 by Elizabeth 7 Comments

Juicy, mouthwatering, tender slices of pork, topped with a sweet mixture of apples and cherries. For a gourmet Easter feast, or a quick weeknight meal, this Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Apple Chutney is an easy and fantastic way to serve pork tenderloin.

Happy Sunday! This week I hit the 32 week (8 month) mark in this pregnancy. Yikes! The weeks are just flying by. There are still so many things to conquer on my to-do list before the new little guy arrives! I’m so thankful that my sister came over this weekend and helped me organize some of the boys’ clothes that have been stacking up. We didn’t get through everything in the clothing department, but at least we made a dent in it, and had a blast hanging out together.

We had such a great time yesterday hunting for Easter eggs and visiting the Easter bunny with the boys. William ran right up to give the Easter bunny a huge hug and sat right on his lap. James, however, was clinging to me for dear life, and couldn’t have been more terrified. (We remember that William did the same thing when he was two, but thankfully he has outgrown that fear.) Maybe James will be more excited next year. After our visit with the Easter bunny, we walked outside in the sunshine and snapped a few family pictures.

I can’t believe Easter is only a week away! If you like to plan ahead like I do, I bet you’re already thinking about what you will be cooking for a wonderful Easter brunch or dinner. This year we are going to have a casual brunch at home just the four of us, after church, and then I’ll be cooking up a fancy little feast for a larger group for dinner at our house. Our menu looks like this: Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Apple Chutney, roasted tiny potatoes, steamed green beens with toasted almonds, and a green salad with creamy balsamic vinaigrette. Yum!!! For dessert, I’m still deciding between Good For You Mini Carrot Cakes, or Mini Banana Cream Pies. I can’t wait!

Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Apple Chutney is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or any day. It is quick, easy, and the cherry apple chutney can even be prepared in advance to help save valuable time. Healthy, filling and incredibly delicious. Loved by adults and even the picky little eaters in the family, this recipe is a great crowd-pleaser any night of the year!

Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cherry Chutney

Ingredients

Pork:

2 medium pork tenderloins
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Apple Cherry Chutney:

3 medium sweet apples, peeled and diced
2 cups frozen cherries
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 date, minced

Instructions

Trim and remove the silver skin from pork if present. Season all sides of the tenderloins with salt and pepper. Allow pork to sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
In the meantime,combine apples, cherries, water, wine, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, honey, and minced date in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and bring to a low boil/simmer for about 30 minutes until apples are soft and sauce has thickened.
While sauce is cooking, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear tenderloins on all sides, making sure to get a nice brown color on each side. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, turning occasionally, until almost cooked through. Remove lid, increase heat to medium-high and finish cooking and browning until just cooked through or meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Remove pork from pan, and place on a clean plate and tent with aluminum foil. Allow pork to rest for about 10 minutes. Move pork to a cutting board and slice into 1/2" thick pieces. Serve sliced pork with warm apple cherry chutney.

http://elizabethshome.com/pork-tenderloin-with-cherry-apple-chutney/

Creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

March 31, 2014 by Elizabeth 1 Comment

Smooth, cool, Creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip is the perfect addition to apple slices, celery, graham crackers, or anything else your heart desires. This incredibly easy recipe comes together in just minutes, and requires only four simple ingredients.

It’s amazing how quickly this pregnancy is flying by. I just hit the 30 week mark! To celebrate, Andrew and I did a little baby belly photo shoot yesterday. Here are a few pictures of baby bump #3 at 30 weeks:

Ok, getting back to one of my favorite new snacks. I created this recipe a few weeks ago, right when we were about to sit down for lunch. Andrew and the boys were already at the table and I was just about to join them. I looked down at the apples I was carrying in, and HELLOOO inspiration! I remember giving everyone the go-ahead to start eating without me, because “Mommy needed to create something”. Well, a few batches, four reliable taste testers, and lots of full tummies later, we had all fallen in love with this Creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip!

The other day when the boys and I were shopping at Trader Joe’s, a woman was peeking at our cart and told me she was checking out which healthy snacks we were buying. I told her a few of the things the boys and I really liked. She said she was trying to find some tasty and nutritious things for her 18-year-old son to snack on. That’s when I remembered one of our new FAVORITE snacks! I told her about this great Creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip that I had created. She was so excited and thanked us, and then ran and grabbed the ingredients. It was such a fun, and flattering opportunity to share one of my recipe creations.

This upgraded version of apples and peanut butter takes snacking to a whole new level. It’s perfect as a dip for snack time or dessert, or will even make a delicious peanut butter yogurt. It can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled, and stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Get ready to lick the bowl! (Or at least that’s James’ theory :)) Creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip is as quick and easy as it is healthy and delicious! One bite, and you’ll be hooked!

Creamy Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

Ingredients

1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk or stir together the yogurt, peanut butter, agave and vanilla until smooth.

Notes

Serve as a dip with apple slices, celery, or other cut up fruit. This dip is also great with cookies, graham crackers or pretzels, too! Or enjoy it plain, as peanut butter yogurt.

http://elizabethshome.com/creamy-peanut-butter-yogurt-dip/