Cooking Recipes for Any Father

Introduction

2007-05-28T04:31:00.000-04:00

This blog will provide recipes used by an every day father cooking for his family. Due to events which can occur in any family, several nights a week I was responsible for dinner. So not born with a "golden skillet", I had to learn how to make some meals which would appeal to my three children and my wife. Besides the meals, there are the beverages and also the snacks.
As the I started cooking more, I notice how my family enjoyed the taste. I would like to pass on the recipes which actually I have tried on my family which they enjoy eating or drinking.
Only the recipes which work and are enjoyed will appear here.
A special thanks to Recipezaar which fueled my early interest in finding dishes to prepare for my family, and also Emory S. of Atlanta through Craigs List who allowed me to inherit his back issues of Bon Appetit, Gourmet, and Food & Wine magazines.

World's Best Buffalo Wings...

2006-08-04T04:21:00.000-04:00

World's Best Buffalo Wings according to my wife and my middle child. This recipe is an enhancement of Beach Buffalo Wings when I was trying to fine tune the sauce. After much research, I discovered the mixing of the Frank' Red Hot Sauce and melted butter not only enhanced the the buffalo wing sauce adhering to the chicken wings but also created an unbelievable flavor.

Ingredients:
4 lbs of chicken Wings
3/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot Original (Cayenne Pepper Sauce)
Coarse Ground Pepper
Kosher Salt
Old Bay Seasoning
1 stick unsalted butter plus 1/8 stick unsalted butter

Steps:
1. Preheat oven at 425 degrees.
2. Rinse and pat dry the chicken wings.
3. For each chicken wing, remove the tip by cutting at joint between tip and wing with large heavy knife on cutting board.
4. Place chicken parts on large pan, sprinkle with coarse ground pepper, kosher salt, and Old Bay seasoning, and cook at 425 degrees for 40 minutes in oven.
5. Melt butter in microwave while chicken is cooking in oven.
6. Combine 3/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot sauce and melted butter in large bowl
7. After chicken parts have cooked for 40 minutes, remove from oven.
8. With tongs, roll each chicken part into the combined sauce and place back onto large pan.
9. Cook for additional 20 minutes in oven at 425 degrees.
10. Remove pan from oven and toss each chicken part in sauce again and place on large plate.
11. Serve with blue cheese dressing, baby cut carrots, and cut celery.

Comments:
Have plenty of napkins, paper towels, or moist towlettes nearby and enjoy.
If you are in the greater Atlanta area or just in the Southeast, I would buy the 4 lb. of chicken wings from Publix . I have always good results with their chicken. Have a pitcher of Southern Sweet tea to accompany your buffalo wings.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2006-07-29T13:40:00.000-04:00

During the summer, fresh strawberries are in abundance at grocery stores in Atlanta. Here's a way for your children to eat three healthy items along with their favorite chocolate in a home made cookie. You won't mind them dragging the cookie jar from the rear to the front of kitchen counter in order to grab one of these delights.
Thsi recipe is a modified version of Kittencal's from Recipezaar.

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 & 1/4 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (King Arthur flour is good)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups old-fashion oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 & 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, slice in quarters or eigths ( depending on size of strawberry)
1 cup raisins

Steps:

Place oven rack in middle position.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a large cookie sheet ith parchment paper.
With electric mixer, cream butter with sugars and honey until light and fluffy in a large bowl.
Add the eggs and vanilla; mix well.
Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, oatmeal & salt; mix well to combine in a medium bowl.
Add in the dry mixture to the creamed mixture; mix well until combined.
Fold in the chocolate morsels, strawberries, and raisins.
With tablespoon, scoop large round measures and place on cookie sheet.
Bake for 13 - 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on cookie shhet.
Transfer cookies to wire rack to complete cooling process approximately 10 minutes.

Cooked Apples

2006-07-26T21:33:00.000-04:00

An easy side dish to incorporate apples into your children's diet. Believe me, the kids will clamor for this side dish again. The old adage about being a clean plate cleaner applies when serving these cooked apples. Serve these apples with Parmesan Chicken Strips and black eye peas for a good southern meal.

Ingredients:
9 medium Granny Smith apples
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons of butter

Steps:

Peel each of the apples and slice them. Set apple slices aside in a bowl until all peeled.
Heat pan between medium and medium high and place the 2 tablespoons of butter in pan.
Place apple slices in pan. Stir.
Pour orange juice over aplles in pan. Stir.
Place brown sugar over apples in pan. Stir.
Cover pan like shown in photo.
Stir frequently in pan.
Watch apples until the orange juice/brown sugar solution has covered the apple slices. Approximately 20 minutes.
Serve.

Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

2006-07-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

My kids like peanut butter and cookies like most kids, so while searching for a tasty recipe I came upon this recipe which includes Reese's Peanut Butter Chips. So here's another cookie recipe to complement Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies.The cookies tasted better than expected, and taste awesome when refrigerated at work for your snack or lunchtime treat.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 & 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (10 ounce) package of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

Steps:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer unter fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.
Stir in peanut butter chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees on center rack of oven for 9 minutes.
Cool for 4 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Cool for additional 10 minutes and transfer to cookie jar.

Easy Strawberry Smoothie

2006-07-18T09:10:00.000-04:00

Many a morning or evening, you may wish a healthy beverage to accompany your breakfeast or in place of a dessert. A Strawberry Smoothie fits the bill. This recipe is easy because there is only three ingredients to mix in your blender. And at least in the greater Atlanta area, strawberries are available at your local Publix or Kroger at a reasonable price.

Ingredients:
1 cup of strawberries ( frozen the night before in your freezer)
1 cup of orange juice
1 tablespoon of honey

Steps:

Hull the strawberries by removing the top part, and then slice the strawberry in half. *** if huge strawberries, then quarter the strawberries.***
Place strawberries in a plastic bag or container and store in freezer.
Remove strawberries once frozen, and place in blender.
Add orange juice.
Add honey.
Mix the three ingredients in blender until smooth.
Pour into tall glass or 2 smaller glasses.
Drink and enjoy!

Comments:

Mutiply the ingredients by the number of glasses which you plan to serve.

Watermelon - A Summertime Treat

2006-07-15T05:10:00.000-04:00

So you want to beat the heat, and offer a summertime treat to kids big and small in your household. Watermelon is the key. With a little forethought, you can offer this healthy dessert to your family.
Watermelon is a wonderful complement to Beach Buffalo Wings, or even War Eagle Barbeque Chicken Sandwich. The cool, refreshing taste will satisfy your taste buds. The kids will love it, and you know that Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A.
Locally in greater Atlanta, Seedless Watermelon has been selling on sale for $3.99 per large Seedless Watermelon in the big bins at Publix and at Kroger. Anywhere around that price, it's a good deal.

Handy Stuff to prepare & Serve:
1 Large Seedless Watermelon
Saran Wrap or its equivalent
Paper towels
Large tray

Steps:

Wash the watermelon before cutting it. Due to its large size, you will probably not be able to run it under water in the sink. Instead, wash it with a wet cloth or paper towel.
With your heaviest and largest knife in kitchen cut the watermelon in half.
Then cut each half lengthwise.
Next cut across each section for individual servings.
Place servings on tray, cover with plastic wrap, and store in refrigerator to chill.
Serve for dessert when ready.
Keep remaining slices from dessert stored on tray covered with plastic wrap. Place back in refrigerator.
Let everyone know that they are welcome to the watermelon treat for a snack anytime. Just grab a slice from the refrigerator and enjoy!

Baked Potato - Guaranteed Good Taste

2006-07-13T20:50:00.000-04:00

As a Dad, you have always enjoyed a fine baked potato. But how do you guarantee your wife and kids will enjoy the taste of the baked potato prepared by you? The secret is the preparation.

Ingredients:
1 Large Idaho Potato ( for each member of the family)
Olive oil
Lawry's Seasoning

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Scrub the potatoes with water, and pat dry.
With the tines of a fork, poke the large potato six to eight times on top and on bottom of the potato.
Pour olive oil in a large plate.
Roll the potato several times in olive oil to coat.
Sprinkle Lawry's seasoning all over the potato.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each large potato.
Place potatoes on rack in middle of oven.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 60 minutes.

Comments:

Serve the potato topped with butter, sour cream, or shredded cheese.

Simply Blueberry Pie

2006-07-08T20:47:00.000-04:00

The grocery stores are over flowing with blueberries from Hammonton,NJ in the produce department. The quest - how can I get my kids to eat blueberries which are very good for them? Muffins are fine, but the kids love dessert. So the hunt was on to find a blueberry pie recipe which a Dad could duplicate in his own kitchen without any help from his wife. Fortunately, I discovered a blueberry pie recipe at Elise.com.
Since, I have not experimented with making a pie crust from scratch yet, I found the next best thing - Pillsbury's Pie Crusts (the Just Unroll 2 Crusts for 9-inch pie). That is the key ingredient for ease of making this blueberry pie.

Ingredients:
3 pints of blueberries, washed & stems removed
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Egg wash Ingredients:
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

Steps:
1. Follow in instructions of the pre-roll crusts box for sitting at room temperature.
2. Drape one of the pre-rolled crusts over a 9-inch pie pan (preferably glass) and place into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
3. Whisk egg and milk together in small bowl to make an egg was and set aside.
4. Combine blueberries,flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar in bowl. Stir well and place in the chilled bottom crust of the pie pan.
5. Dot the top with butter pieces.
6. Brush the rim of the crust with the egg wash, place the othe pre-rolled crust on top and crimp the edges with your fingers.
7. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator to chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
8. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
9. Remove from refrigerator. Brush the top with egg wash. Score the top with two perpendicular cuts (so steam can escape while cooking) ( in the photo, my cuts were a little too long).
10. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.
11. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more or until juices are bubbling.
12. Remove from oven and let it cool before serving.

Glazed Carrots

2006-07-06T19:34:00.000-04:00

Here's an easy way for your children to enjoy the taste of carrots. They will greet this side dish with grins as opposed to turned-up noses. Parents enjoy glazed carrots too!
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh carrots
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Steps:

Clean, skin, and cut carrots into ovals.
Place carrots into pot with enough water to cover them.
Bring carrots to boil, then immediately reduce to medium temperature.
Cook carrots in pot on stove until tender.
Drain water from pot.
Add orange juice and brown sugar.
Simmer carrots and stir until carrots have "glazed" appearance.
Serve.

Meal Suggestion:
Serve the Glazed Carrots as a side for Salmon with Pesto Topping.

Salmon with Pesto Topping

2006-07-05T17:04:00.000-04:00

If your house is like mine, we could eat salmon once a week. The challenge is new, creative, and tasty meals for salmon. The recipe only requires four ingredients so it easy to prepare. All of the ingredients can be found at your local Publix grocery store or your favorite grocery store with a good seafood section for the salmon.

Ingredients:

2 Salmons Fillets ( good size)
2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of minced garlic (McCormick's California Style minced garlic)
Pesto from jar of Classico Traditional Basil Pesto sauce & spread

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in small bowl.
Pour mixture over salmon fillets in an oven proof dish.
Spread enough Pesto to cover over both fillets.
Place pesto covered salmon in oven, and cook for 22 -25 minutes depending on thickness of fillets.
When salmon fillets flake with fork, serve.

style="color:#6600cc;">Meal Suggestion:

Serve Glazed Carrots and Basmati Rice as sides with the Salmon. Start the meal with Red Leaf Salad and offer Sweet Tea as a beverage.

Sweet Potato Chips - Not Just a Southern Treat!

2006-07-04T22:10:00.000-04:00

One day while searching for a healthy side to accompany War Eagle Barbecue Chicken Sandwich, I came across not just a homemade potato chip recipe on Parents.com, but a sweet potato chip recipe. Goldmine! The secret is the sprinkling of sliced sweet potatoes with sugar and cinnamon. Healthy, yet the kids like the taste and the texture.

Ingredients:

2 Medium sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray like Pam or use unbleached parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Wash potatoes well. Cut sweet potatoes into very thin slices with a heavy knife. Cut the slices as thin as possible - keep in mind as thin as a potato chip.
Gently rub oil onto sweet potato slices, tossing to combine.
Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, tossing in bowl to coat evenly.
Place slices in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Turn chips over and continue to bake until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to plate and cool 5 minutes, and then serve.

Minted Potato and Pea Salad

2006-07-03T22:49:00.000-04:00

Your wife mentions, that y'all need to bring a dish to the neighborhood block party. With confidence, you remark, "I got it covered!" to her astonishment. The Minted Potato and Pea Salad is from the June 1984 edition of Gourmet magazine.

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 lbs of red potatoes, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 3/4" slices

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves or 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves

1 cup thawed frozen peas

Steps:

1. Steam the red potatoes, covered, for about 10 minutes or until they are just tender.

2. Transfer red potatoes to a bowl, and toss them with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and salt to taste.

3. Let the potatoes cool, and chill them, covered for about 1 hour or until they are cold.

4. When remove potatoes from refrigerator, in another bowl thin the mayonnaise with the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and stir in the mint.

5. Pour the prepared mayonnaise dressing from Step 4 over the potatoes, add the peas, and salt and pepper to tatse. Toss the potato salad.

6. Serve the chilled potato salad.

War Eagle Barbecue Chicken Sandwich

2006-07-02T20:16:00.000-04:00

In the South, everyone associates "War Eagle!" with fans of the Auburn Tigers. Now these sandwiches could also be known as "Roll Tide! Barbecue Chicken Sandwich", "How"Bout Them Dawgs! Barbecue Chicken Sandwich", or even "Hail to the Redskins! Barbecue Chicken Sandwich". What ever is your favorite team that you root for, you could name this sandwich.
The key to preparing the chicken is to slow cook the chicken breasts in the crock pot .

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast ( usually 3 large chicken breasts)
1/4 Vidalia onion
Bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (or make your own - Step 5)
Kosher Salt
Coarse ground black pepper
Old Bay seasoning

Steps:
1. Slice the 1/4 of the Vidalia onion and place 1/2 of the onion slicings in bottom of crockpot.
2. Rinse the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and remove all visible fat from the chicken breasts. Toss them into the crockpot.
3. Season the chicken breasts with Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, and Old Bay seasoning.
4. Place the remaining onion slices on top of the chicken breasts.
5. Pour bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce over the chicken breasts.
***If adventurous, then here is one way to create your own barbecue sauce to pour over the chicken breasts. Mix ketchup and yellow mustard in a ratio 5/8 ketchup to 3/8 mustard in a bowl. Add a little bit of Soy sauce, some lime juice, and some Italian dressing. Add some Louisiana hot sauce and a bit of Lawry's Steak & Chop Marinade. Mix all together. Stir in some salt, pepper, Old Bay seasoning. The quantity in bowl should be enough to cover chicken breasts in crockpot** *
6. Cook on Low for about 8 hours in crockpot or until chicken is nice and tender.
7. After about 4 hours, shred chicken with fork and knife in crockpot.
8. Mix shredded chicken and sauce in crockpot periodically last 4 hours.
9. Scoop mixture with slotted spoon when ready to serve onto bottom buns and top with bread and butter pickle. Place top bun on sandwich.

Meal Suggestion:

Serve Minted Potato and Pea Salad as a side. Quench the family's thirst with Almost Toomer's Corner Lemonade.

Fresh Strawberry Sorbet

2006-07-01T21:40:00.000-04:00

Here's a recipe for a dessert guaranteed to garner raves from your family and is very easy to prepare. The strawberry sorbet only has three ingredients. I would recommend either purchasing the 1 lb. container of fresh strawberries the day before or the morning of the day that the desert is served. It also helps to serve the strawberry sorbet in a goblet - style glass. The kids thinks it looks cool that way. This recipe was found in the book, Cooking Thin With Chef Kathleen, by Kathleen Daelemans.

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more if needed
1/4 cup cold apple juice

Steps:
1. Rinse, then cut blemishes and tops off strawberries.
2. Cut strawberries into quarters depending on size.
3. Place cut strawberries into freezer bag and place into freezer.
4. Remove frozen fruit from freezer and place into bowl of food processer.
5. Add suger to bowl of food processer.
6. Puree fruit by pulsing proceessor on and off while gradually adding apple juice just until sorbet becomes will blended, smooth, and creamy.
7. Serve immediately.

Comments:

If you don't have a food processer available, then use a blender. For blender, will need to initially alternate between chop and mix settings while still in frozen state. It will also require to power off/on blender between chop and mix each time and move frozen fruit around in blender with knife while blender is off. Once chopped/mixed well, then can alternate between chop, mix, and puree settings on blender until right consistency.

Red Leaf Salad

2006-06-29T21:43:00.000-04:00

As a father when shopping for groceries in your local Kroger or Publix grocery store, you see the bags of pre-made salad. Here is a better tasting choice for you and your family. It's easy to make and only has five ingredients - red leaf lettuce, vine ripened tomatoes, onion (any type), crumbled blue cheese, coarse ground pepper. There is no need for a fattening dressing. The ingredients are good for several salad bowls for those who desire salad for dinner that night which you are cooking.

Ingredients:
1 head of Red Leaf Lettuce
1 Batch of Vine Ripened Tomatoes
1 Onion (Vidalia, Red, or Yellow)
(1) 4 ounce container of Crumbled Blue Cheese
Coarse ground black pepper

Steps:
1. Gather large bowl for each person who desires salad for dinner
2. break off some red leaf lettuce from head of lettuce and lined the bowl completely and include a a small mound in center of bowl.
3. Slice one vine ripened tomato into quarters or eigths depending on the size of tomato and plcae on top of read leaf lettuce in bowl.
4. Slice onion for amount to spread amongst tomato quarters and place in bowl.
5. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over red lead lettuce, tomato quarters, and onion slices.
5. Shake coarse groungd black pepper over prepared salad and serve.

Notes:
Treasure Cave crumbled blue cheese is found in the cheese section of your local grocery store. The Red Leaf Lettuce provides a good texture for eating compared to the less nutrient iceberg lettuce.

Comments:

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World's Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce According To Your Kids

2006-06-27T23:55:00.000-04:00

Yes, you too can make the world's best homemade spaghetti sauce according to your kids and wife. With a little effort and time, your family will devour the spaghetti covered in your "secret" sauce and everyone will love dipping their baguette into the sauce on their plate. The best part is the leftover sauce even tastes better the second day. I found this recipe on Recipezaar posted by Sharlene~W. By the way, this recipe is so easy to prepare, I prepared it while vacationing at the beach when my sister-in-law's family came over for dinner. (See Comments section about doubling recipe)

Ingredients:
1 lb Italian sausage ( mild or hot)
1/2 small onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomotoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1 and 1/2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
3/4 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 cup red wine
1/2 to 3/4 lb thin spaghetti
parmesan cheese
baguette loaf

Steps:
1. In large frying pan, brown Italian sausage in some olive oil.
2. Add chopped onions to sausage in pan to brown too.
3. While sausage and onion are browning,add the following ingredients to a large pot - diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, and minced garlic. Stir well.
4. Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt crushed red pepper and black pepper to pot. Stir well.
5. By now, the Italian sausage and onions should be browned, add to pot.
6. Stir well, and bring to boil barely.
7. Stir in red wine.
8. Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour.
9. While sauce is simmering, periodically, with knife and fork, cut sausages into bite size pieces.
10. Near the end of simmering time, cook thin spaghetti according to package directions.
11. Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles , sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve with a warm baguette slice.

Comments:
This recipe easily serves a family of 4 to 5. If you have more over dinner, then I would double the ingredients for the sauce without doubling the amount of sausage based on personal experience. And I would probably use about 1 and 1/4 lbs of thin spaghetti noodles.

Beach Buffalo Wings

2006-06-26T21:16:00.000-04:00

Recently while on vacation at the beach, I had a hankering for some Buffalo Wings. So here is an easy Buffalo Wings dinner which you can prepare while at the beach or at home. Besides the Buffalo wings, you need to purchase a bag of baby carrots, celery, and bottle of blue cheese dressing. The carrots, cut celery, and wings can all be dipped into the blue cheese on every one's plate.

Ingredients:

4 lbs of chicken Wings

Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing sauce (also may use mild)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven at 425 degrees.

2. Place Buffalo Wings on large pan and cook at 425 degrees for 1 hour.

3. Place wings in large bowl and pour sauce over wings.

4. Toss wings until thoroughly coated with sauce and serve.

Comments:

I would buy a bottle of the Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing sauce and a bottle of their mild version. Then split the batch between two bowls. Offer buffalo wings coated with the hot sauce, and also buffalo wings coated with mild sauce depending on the palate of each person of your family. Have plenty of napkins, paper towels, or moist towlettes nearby and enjoy.

If you are in the greater Atlanta area or just in the Southeast, I would buy the 4 lb. of chicken wings from Publix . I have always good results with their chicken.

Notes:

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Whole Wheat Pancakes

2006-06-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

On weekends, fathers like to cook pancakes for their families. Forgo the box of pancake mix, and try this healthy alternative to white flour pancakes. You may gradually get them accustomed to wheat pancakes by using 1 cup white flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour instead of the two cups of wheat flour listed in the ingredients. This recipe was found on Recipezaar, posted by Narshmellow.

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 and 3/4 cups of milk
1/2 cup of vegetable oil

Steps:
1. Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.
2. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
3. Cook on hot griddle at approximately 375 degrees or on the stove in a non-stick pan at medium high.

Comments:
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Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2006-06-24T19:15:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, the kids have behaved real well and you would like to reward them with some homemade chocolate chip cookies. Here's an easy and great tasting recipe which is also healthy too because it includes vanilla soy milk. The kids love the end result and you're smiling because you have snuck a healthy ingredient into their treat!

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter ( 2 sticks)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Vanilla Silk Soy Milk
1 teaspo0n vanilla
2 & a 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add Vanilla Silk soy milk, cream well, then add vanilla.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Drop by tablespoons on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let sit on on cookie sheet for 5 minutes once removed from oven.
Then transfer to wire racks to completely cool.

Notes:
To cream butter, just use an electric mixer.
This recipe is courtesy of Silk Soy Milk and their recipe file cooking with Akasha Richmond

Comments:
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Sunday Morning Surprise - Blackberry Muffins

2006-06-11T10:35:00.000-04:00

Here's an easy recipe to follow which requires some forethought on Saturday to purchase the necessary ingredients for your Sunday Morning Surprise for your family.

This recipe was contributed by Jennifer at Recipezaar. The Blackberry Muffins have the sweetness for the kids - the brown sugar, while having the healthy ingredients for you as a parent - whole wheat flour and blackberries.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 beaten egg
2/3 cup broun sugar
1 cup all purpose unbleached white flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour (King Arthur Flour is a good choice)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup frozen blackberries

Steps:

Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl.
Toss blackberries into dry ingredients until flour coated.
Mix together liquid ingredients in separate bowl.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just moist.
Spoon batter into (greased) 12 count muffin tra.
Bake at 350 degrees for about about 25 to 30 minutes.

Comments:

Frozen blackberries packaged in 12 ounce bags are sold in frozen food section of grocery store. A 12 ounce bag = 2 cups. So you have another cup's worth for another recipe.

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Bottoms Up Greek Catfish (or Tilapia)

2006-06-09T20:43:00.000-04:00

Here's a recipe for Sunday dinner. Serve this dish and your wife will rave about you to neighbors and relatives. Also easy to prepare. A version of this recipe appeared on Recipezaar.
The key to the dish is the spinach, diced tomatoes, and feta cheese. Besides catfish and tilapia, this recipe will surely work on any whitefish.

Ingredients:

4 catfish or tilapia fillets
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinached, thawed and squeezed dry
4 ounces of crumbled feta cheese ( usually found in dairy or deli section of your favorite grocery store)
1 tablespoon oregano
2 green onions chopped
3 tablespoons butter melted (3/8 stick of butter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
3 cloves of garlic (or use minced garlic in your spice section in your local grocery store aisle...1/2 teaspoon = 1 clove of garlic)
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a shallow baking pan with olive oil and place the fish fillets in the pan.
3. Sprinkle the fillets with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
4. In a small bowl, mix the spinach, feta cheese, oregano, butter, green onions, garlic, diced tomotoes, and remaining salt and pepper until well stirred.
5. Top each fish fillet evenly with an equal amount of the spinach mixture.
6. Bake at 350 degrees on center rack for about 20 to 25 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the fish flakes easily with fork.
7. Serve immediately.

Comments:

Serve the Bottoms Up Greek Fish with Basmati Rice, carrots, a baguette of bread, and sweet tea to complement the meal.

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Basmati Rice - an Alternative to Minute Rice

2006-06-07T03:12:00.000-04:00

Fathers, until about two months ago, I always served Minute Rice to my family as the white rice of choice for family meals. Then, I discovered Basmati rice on the grocery store shelves. Basmati rice is packaged in a long bag as opposed to a box like Minute Rice. You just use a bag clip to seal the bag after removing some rice from it.
To me and more importantly my children, the rice tastes better and the texture of the rice is fluffier.
To cook the rice is very simple. Boil water (with some salt and butter) 2x the amount of rice which you plan to serve. Once water is boiling, stir rice in the pot for 1 minute on high. Then reduce temperature to low for 18 to 22 minutes. Serve once your other portions for dinner are ready. Any leftover rice place in a container in the refrigerator to enjoy later.
Basmati Rice is a good accompaniment to Parmesan Chicken Fingers , Green Beans with Sesame Dressing, Almost Toomer's Corner Lemonade to drink. Now if you had baked Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal RaisinCookies earlier in the day or the previous night, then you have just created the wow factor to your family. Dad just prepared a whole meal - a main dish with two sides served with a beverage, topped by a kid friendly dessert.

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Almost Toomer's Corner Lemonade

2006-06-01T22:06:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago during college football season while watching the Auburn Tigers, I developed a hankerin' for some lemonade similar to the type offered at Toomer's Corner. I came across this recipe submited byDiB's on Recipezaar. The kids always love it and get excited when they see a bag of lemonades when unloading the groceries. You can hand squeeze the lemons after you cut them in half. But after the first time, I found the plastic fruit squeezer for a couple of dollars at Publix grocery store. Much easier. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
7 cups cold water
1 cup granulated sugar

1. Squeeze the lemons into a measuring cup.
2. Add lemon juice, water, and sugar into a pitcher. Stir with spoon until sugar is dissolved.
3. Place pitcher into refrigerator.
4. Serve lemonade over ice in a glass.

Comments:
Usually a bag of 6 large lemons will almost do the trick to obtain 1 and 1/2 cups of fresh lemon juice. If fall short of that amount, then pour some store bought lemon juice into mix to account for the difference.

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Green Beans with Sesame Dressing

2006-05-31T18:03:00.000-04:00

A question which often plagues parents at dinner time, is how to create appeal to a vegetable staple like green beens? Well as a father, this version of green beans will be devoured by your wife. Imagine the best oriental green beans you have tasted at home.
This recipe is courtesy of Kathleen Daelemans' cooking book, Getting Thin and Loving Food.

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Steps:

1. Boil green beans in a large pot of water over high heat for 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain green beans in colander in sink, and set aside.

2. While the green beans are boiling, toast the sesame seeds in a nonstick pan or wok over meduim high heat for about 3 minutes until lightly golden in color. Then place sesame seeds in small bowl till ready to use later.

3. In large nonstick pan or wok, heat soy sauce and brown sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

4. Add green beans, toss until well coated, cook until sauce thickens slightly - about 2 minutes.

5. Add sesame seeds, toss once more, and serve.

Parmesan Chicken Fingers

2006-05-30T21:40:00.000-04:00

Who hasn't eaten chicken fingers which at times taste like dried-out processed food? Become a a king for the day by preparing and serving these Parmesan Chicken Strips. The strips are tasty and moist. Charmie777 contributed this recipe to Recipezaar . Easiest method is buying a pack of skinless chicken breasts and cutting them into strips on a cutting board.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted

Steps:

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Make sure your rack is in the center in oven.
2. Wash chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Cut chicken breasts into strips lengthwise.
4. For ease of use, arrange from right to left on your kitchen counter the following which you'll need - strips of chicken, small bowl of melted butter, large bowl of dry ingredients, and cooking pan sprayed with Pam.
5. Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl.
6. Dip each chicken strip into small bowl of melted butter, then into dry mix bowl.
7. Place each chicken strip onto greased pan.
8. Bake on greased pan, uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2006-05-29T05:52:00.000-04:00

Like most families, one of my children is a picky eater. However, this child will eat cookies left and right. So I searched for a cookie recipe which tastes good and which also has some healthy ingredients. I have baked this cookies several times and they disappear very quickly.
This recipe was submitted by Dr Amy to AllRecipes. The only alteration to the original recipe is that I substitute raisins for chopped walnuts and I added cinnamon. The kids do not like nuts in their cookies and the raisins add to the chewiness of the cookie.

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups of quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the soften butter sticks, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. For myself, I use an electric mixer for this step.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir well.
4. Combine with wooden spoon, the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir into mixture until just blended.
5. Mix in quick oats, raisins, and chocolate chips with wooden spoon.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake for approximately 11 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown.
8. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack.
9. According to recipe, makes about 4 dozen. Howver, since my rounded teaspoons are somewhat odd shaped and large, it makes about 39 cookies for myself. *** On my cookie sheet, I place about 15 cookies at a time. So, this recipe amounts to about 3 separate times placing cookie sheet into oven.***

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Sweet Tea - a Southern Thing

2006-05-28T05:37:00.000-04:00

Every since I was exposed to sweet tea at Auburn University and at Ross L.'s family in Hoover,Alabama, I was hooked. The funny thing about sweet tea is that one can tell where you are geographically located by an eating establishment's response when you request sweet tea.
When you order tea in the South, it's assume to be sweet. However, if you are in Maryland (my home state) or above, if you order sweet tea, then they hand you a glass of unsweet tea and two packets of sugar - definitely not the same taste.
So here's the recipe for sweet tea to place in a pitcher of your refrigerator. Originally, I found this recipe posted by Blink on Recipezaar

Ingredients List
8 bags of normal size tea bags
1 and 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
8 cups of boiling water

Steps
1. Boil 8 cups of water in good size pot on stove.
2. Add 8 regular size tea bags and steep for about 3 to 5 minutes. I generally steep for 5 minutes to maximize the tea flavor.
3. Remove tea bags, then pour hot tea into pitcher.
4. Add 1 and 3/4 cups of granulated sugar to pitcher of tea and stir well.
5. Place pitcher into refrigerator to cool.
6. When ready to serve sweet tea, pour into glass with lots of ice.

Comments
I have made the sweet tea with three different choices for mixture of tea bags as follows:
1. use all 8 Lipton tea bags
2. or use 4 Lipton tea bags and 4 Salada green tea bags
3. or use 8 Salada green tea bags
I would recommend experimenting with all three mixes to determine which one you like best or depending on the day which one you prefer.

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