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.

Cookie Dough Crumble

September 8, 2014 by Elizabeth 1 Comment

Slightly sweet with a delightfully, nutty, oat taste. One recipe, two results. Enjoy it raw as a gooey hunk of cookie dough goodness, or cooked and cooled, as the perfect cookie crumble. Incredibly easy and super delicious, this Cookie Dough Crumble is sure to become a household favorite in no time!

We visited Blake’s Apple Orchard this weekend! Enjoy a few fun pictures from our adventures!

Serve it in chunks, balls or spoonfuls, for a true cookie dough experience. For the perfect crumble or pie crust topping, just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, cool, freeze, and behold the goodness of this fantastic concoction. This is seriously one of our new favorite additions to our daily desserts!

Eat it plain, mix in the raw or cooked crumbles to your favorite ice cream, or add it to your yogurt to make the perfect parfait. When it comes to this Cookie Dough Crumble, the possibilities are endless!

Cookie Dough Crumble

Ingredients

3/4 cup oat flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons almond butter
1/4 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine oat flour, almond flour and salt and whisk together. Then add the peanut and almond butter, milk, honey, agave, and vanilla, and mix together until thick and smooth.

For Cookie Dough:

Shape raw dough into small balls, or roll into one large ball, flatten into a thick pancake, and wrap with plastic wrap, and place in freezer for at least two hours. Once firmed up, cut cookie dough into 1/2 inch chunks.

For Crumble:

Using a spatula, scoop raw dough into a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes until dough starts to puff up and look slightly cooked on top. Allow dough to cool, then break up slightly, and spoon into an airtight container and freeze for at least one hour or overnight (or up to one week). Serve over ice cream, fruit, or whatever needs a cookie crumble topping.

Notes

Cashew butter can be substituted for almond butter if desired.

http://elizabethshome.com/cookie-dough-crumble/

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

August 31, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Creamy, cool, velvety dip that comes together in a flash. Cream Cheese Fruit Dip is perfectly smooth and delightfully refreshing. This lightly sweetened mix requires just three ingredients and five short minutes. Whip up a batch and experience a great new way to savor your fruit.Happy Labor Day weekend to you and your family! Is it me, or did this summer just fly by? It’s hard to believe that Charlie turned 3 months old yesterday! (James is almost 2 1/2 and William is almost 5. Wow! ;)) We kicked off our holiday festivities a bit early, and on Wednesday we headed to Racing for Kids. (It’s a fun, local event with tons of cars, activities and treats for kids.) The boys LOVED seeing all of the race cars, especially the ones you could sit in. We even ran into some of our buddies, and found a fire truck, too. It was a blast!

At the end of Racing for Kids, there was a special show where one of the drivers demonstrated a burnout with his car. We almost didn’t stay for it, but at the last minute decided to try it. Holy smokes! (Literally 😉 Check out all of the smoke in the last few pictures.) The boys LOVED it and William informed us when we got home, that “the burnout was the best part!”. It was definitely worth seeing!

If you need a dynamite recipe for your Labor Day picnic tomorrow, and you’re looking for something speedy, you’re in luck. This dip tastes amazing, and looks beautiful when served up with your favorite summer fruits, cookies, or little cubes of cake. Great as a refreshing snack, or a fun dessert, this Cream Cheese Fruit Dip is sure to be a hit that your friends and family will be raving about.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) packages light cream cheese
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Add cream cheese to a microwave safe bowl and heat for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds, until soft and melted. Remove bowl from microwave and whisk vigorously until smooth. Then add syrup and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and creamy, and no lumps remain.
Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for an least one hour before serving. Serve dip chilled, with your favorite fruits, cookies, graham crackers, or cubes of cake.

Notes

Dip will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.

http://elizabethshome.com/cream-cheese-fruit-dip/

Summer Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Salad

July 13, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Crunchy asparagus and tender mushrooms, sautéed with onions and garlic, and tossed together with fresh herbs and thin shavings of creamy asiago cheese. This Summer Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Salad is a fresh, healthy favorite, that makes the perfect side dish for any occasion. No need to worry about keeping it cool or heating it up, this summer salad is made to serve at room temperature.

It has been another great week around here. I can’t believe Charlie was 6 weeks old on Friday! What an amazing time we’ve been having with him. He has even been starting to sleep a bit more at night! YAY! (Maybe the extra sleep has something to do with all of our adventures this week.) In addition to our normal day to day activities, this week also included a huge trip to Target on Tuesday, my 6 week post-baby doctors appointment and our weekly lunch with Andrew on Wednesday, a super fun date night out on Friday, a trip to Greenfield Village on Saturday (followed later with a date night in…which leads us to this recipe), and a relaxing and productive Sunday. Busy, but fun. 🙂 Here are a few pictures from our trip to Greenfield Village.Now, let’s talk about one of our favorite new creations, this Summer Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Salad. The other day at Costco I picked up a huge bag of beautiful, fresh asparagus, and a big carton of mushrooms. They looked delicious and I figured they would be great if I (simply) roasted them in the oven and served them with the steaks that Andrew was going to grill this weekend. Well, somehow my idea to “keep it simple” quickly flew out the window and my wheels were turning. I was thinking how much we LOVE these Oven Roasted Portobello Mushrooms, especially as a side dish with steaks. But since I also had a huge bag of asparagus, and really wanted onions with our steaks as well, the chef in me was eager and determined to create a dish that incorporated all of my visions. 😉 So, I searched for some imagesthat would help to inspire me. (Sometimes I get my inspirations from the recipe itself, and other times I just need a picture to point me in the right direction. In this case, the pictures were all that I needed.)

This asparagus salad looked amazing with the creamy cheese! I loved the addition of the fresh herbs in this warm mushroom asparagus salad, and I jumped on the purple onion idea after coming across this image of roasted asparagus and mushrooms. So, now you have a little insight into how my mind works in the kitchen, and just how some of my recipes are created. 😉

This Summer Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Salad is a great addition to any meal. Make it, leave it, serve it up and enjoy!

Summer Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Salad

Ingredients

1 large purple onion, sliced in half, then cut into 1/4 inch slices (crescent moons)
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 pound (medium thickness) asparagus, cut on diagonal, into 1-2 inch pieces
12 ounces white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup shaved asiago or parmesan cheese, (with vegetable peeler), plus more for serving
2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (good quality)
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over high heat. Add onions and garlic and sautee on high for 1 minute without stirring, then cook for another minute, stirring. Add the asparagus and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 more minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing veggies to brown slightly, but do not over cook. (Asparagus and mushrooms should be just cooked slightly, and still have a little crunch to them.) Move veggies to a large serving bowl, and allow to cool until slightly warm, but not hot. Toss with cheese, fresh herbs, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover loosely with foil and let rest together for at least 5 minutes, or until ready to serve. Serve salad at room temperature with additional cheese on top, if desired.

http://elizabethshome.com/asparagus-mushroom-and-onion-salad/

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

July 7, 2014 by Elizabeth 2 Comments

Seriously easy, unbelievably creamy. Thick, Creamy Balsamic Dressing is perfect for any green salad. Slightly tangy, with a touch of sweetness, this dressing will upgrade your salads from ordinary, to extraordinary in no time!

Another summer Sunday and another blog post. 🙂 (My goal is to eventually start posting twice a week, but in the meantime, I’m just thankful for each post that makes it up.) I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend! We did! I’m thrilled to report that we even managed to survive our first week with Andrew back to work. Everyone was happy, fed and clean 😉 On top of that, laundry is caught up, and grocery shopping is done. Slightly tired, yes. Fun, productive week, yes! I will definitely be the first one to agree with everyone who told me that “the transition from one to two kids was much tougher than from two to three”. I mean, life is slightly chaotic now and there is usually a mountain of laundry to be done, but I guess that’s kind of how life with two little ones was anyway. 😉 Add little Charlie into the mix, and it’s just different. More laundry and less sleep, but LOTS more fun. So, all in all, it has been a great week, and such a nice long weekend. I’m just thankful for all of our blessings. Here are a few pictures of our little sweeties this week.

Now, let’s talk about this dressing. I actually stumbled upon the method for this recipe without even meaning to. I’ve been making this dressing recipe (not in its creamy form) for a while. But a few weeks ago, I was in my “creating” mode in the kitchen, and peered over at my Vitamix. “I wonder what would happen if I put my original dressing recipe in the blender and tried to emulsify it? Would it get creamy?” …Elizabeth was curious. (I guess we’ve been reading a few too many Curious George books around here ;)) But, with an idea like that, I figured I HAD to try it. I literally added everything to the Vitamix- vinegar, spices, whole garlic cloves and shallot pieces, and turned it on! It blended everything up in no time! So cool, and such a time saver! Next, I wanted to add the oil, but decided to drizzle it in, in a slow, steady stream. After adding all of the oil, and blending for a few more seconds, you will never guess what appeared! It was like magic! I removed the lid and peered down into the blender…sitting there looking up at me was a thick, creamy, delightful little substance. Did I say creamy? I mean, we’re talking restaurant quality, mayonnaise or sour cream-like thickness, and with only using healthy, extra-virgin olive oil. Totally awesome! Totally delicious! Super-duper eeeeasy! 🙂 I even whipped up a fresh batch this afternoon when we got home from the pool. (Throw ingredients in blender, mix, let chill in fridge. Dressing, done- in 5 minutes flat, or less!)

This Creamy Balsamic Dressing is the perfect addition to your favorite salads!

Creamy White Balsamic Dressing

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (or regular balsamic)
2 cloves garlic (sliced)
1/2 medium shallot (sliced)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
3/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Add vinegar, garlic, shallot, mustard, honey, salt, pepper and dill to blender or Vitamix. Blend for about 30-60 seconds on low, then high speed. Reduce speed to medium and slowly drizzle in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Blend for a few more seconds until fully emulsified. Stop blending when dressing looks thick and creamy. (Be careful not to over mix, or dressing will thin out.)

Notes

For best results, allow dressing to chill in fridge for an hour before using. Dressing will keep covered and refrigerated for one week.

http://elizabethshome.com/creamy-balsamic-dressing/

Homemade Mojitos

June 29, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Cool, refreshing mojitos, made at home in a flash. Lime, mint, rum, water, sugar and ice, shaken together to create the perfect Homemade Mojitos.

Another bright and beautiful summer Sunday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! There’s always something so nice about finishing up a great weekend, and knowing that the next weekend will be here even sooner than usual. Especially since tomorrow is Andrew’s first official day back to work, and my first day with all three little men! Yikes 😉 With all new things, there’s always an adjustment period. I’m just thankful that our first week back is a shorter one. It’ll be the perfect way to ease us all into our new routine. I mean, so far everything with Charlie and our growing family could not be better! Here are a few fun pictures from our adventures this week.
Andrew first introduced me to mojitos earlier in our relationship. (Speaking of our earlier days together, did I mention that it has been TEN years since we first met? Yep, our first date was literally ten years ago in June! Wow, time flies.) I remember Andrew ordered a mojito on one of our dates and I shared a sip. It was delicious! After that, we occasionally made them at home for a little treat. Although, it wasn’t until last summer that we really got into making mojitos. Andrew bought a huge bag of limes from Costco and I needed some way to use them. What could possibly be a better way to use up those juicy limes than to create the perfect mojito recipe. I recruited Andrew’s help with lime squeezing and recipe taste testing. This recipe for Homemade Mojitos is an improved version of Food Network’s Mojitos. We had a lot of fun making these, and even more fun drinking them 🙂

We loved making these last summer, and are even more excited to bring them back again this year. Perfect for your 4th of July festivities, backyard barbeque, or a much needed weeknight treat. This is a great, easy mojito recipe that is our new favorite!

Homemade Mojitos

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

Ice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 5-6 limes)
4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup light rum
8 mint sprigs, torn
Sparking water
4 slices lime to garnish

Instructions

Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Then add lime juice, sugar, rum and mint, and shake well. Serve over ice, and top each glass with a splash of sparkling water and a slice of lime. Enjoy!

http://elizabethshome.com/homemade-mojitos/

Vitamix Hummus

May 19, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

A smooth, creamy, blend of chick peas, tahini, garlic, fresh lemon juice, and spices. This Vitamix Hummus recipe comes together in a flash. Use as a dip with your favorite veggies or pita, or serve with meat and salad for a complete meal.

I hope you had a great weekend! We sure did. It has been so nice to keep crossing tasks off of our to-do list, and in between being productive, we’ve managed to have a lot of fun in the process. After all, there are only 12 days left until new baby arrives! WOW!!! We are definitely getting closer. 🙂

One note about this hummus recipe. I made it in my Vitamix. (A Vitamix is a pricey, but WELL worth it, industrial strength blender.) When our Cuisinart blender died a few months ago, Andrew insisted we try a Vitamix. I was so turned off by spending that much money on a blender, to basically make a few smoothies, and a few other random things, that I kept it in the box for about a month! I did enjoy my old Cuisinart blender for a few things, but for the most part, I just didn’t use it that often. It was always a pain to dig out, and when I did finally use it, the results were good, but never fantastic.

However, after staring at the huge unopened Vitamix box in our basement, I just gave in and ripped it open. I dragged it upstairs, washed it out, and since the boys love smoothies, I decided to give it a whirl. I tossed a bunch of frozen fruit and some juice and other goodies into my new Vitamix and turned it on. I could NOT believe how fast that thing blended everything up! (Where my old blender would have either gotten stuck, or taken forever to grind up the frozen fruit, this thing plowed right through it in seconds!)

In case my isolated smoothie incident was just a fluke, I didn’t stop there. I wanted to see what else this thing would chomp through. Over the last few months with our Vitamix I have made countless smoothies, healthy milkshakes, frozen desserts, purees, sauces, lots and lots of SMOOTH hummus, creamy salad dressings, homemade oat flour, and I love how easily it whips up the wet ingredients for a number of healthy dessert recipes. I mean, I’m completely sold! So much so that I even made a permanent place for it on our kitchen counter. It takes quite a bit for me to like something that much that I am willing to give it a home on my counter. I despise clutter and too many things out on the counter, so I am VERY selective on which appliances I keep out full-time. However, since I basically use the Vitamix everyday, if not twice a day, I figured it didn’t make sense to keep this one stored away.

I just love how creamy this blender can whip up this hummus. In case you haven’t converted to a Vitamix yet, this hummus recipe will still be delicious when mixed up in a blender or food processor. (It just might not be quite as smooth and creamy as the Vitamix can get it, but it will still be delicious.)

Easy, healthy, and loaded with flavor, this Vitamix Hummus will surely be a hit at your Memorial Day festivities next weekend, or for any occasion.

Vitamix Hummus

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
2 tablespoons tahini paste (ground sesame seeds only)
1 1/2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-3 dashes cayenne (depending on spice level)
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Add chick peas and their liquid to a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 2 minutes. Drain liquid.
Combine the garbanzo beans, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt and cayenne in Vitamix or food processor. Process together until mostly smooth.
On a low speed, slowly drizzle oil into hummus until combined and gradually increase speed. Allow hummus to process on high speed for about one minute until smooth and creamy.
Scoop into bowl, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or preferably a few hours before enjoying. (This will allow the flavors to set together.)

http://elizabethshome.com/vitamix-hummus/

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/