Jan
2015

Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce

categories: Canning And Preserving, Chocolate, Sauces and Dressings
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Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a great topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate sauce for long term storage!Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate flavored sauce for long term storage!
Last year I found this recipe for Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce in a book I received as a gift from my husband, called “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”.  It’s where I found this absolutely DELICIOUS recipe for this yummy dessert topping! The book has 400 different recipes for home canning that I am so excited about, since I love to make jams and jellies, and have now also begun pressure canning veggies from our garden. This chocolate raspberry sundae sauce is one of my more recent finds!

One of the recipes that caught my eye was this one. Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce. Are you kidding me? I could hardly wait to try it out.  I made a batch last summer, after going raspberry picking at a local U-Pick farm. The recipe did not disappoint!

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Picking raspberries at a local farm to make chocolate raspberry sundae sauce!

Chocolate And Raspberry Flavors Are A Winning Combination!

The flavors of the raspberries and the chocolate come together well in this thick, sweet sauce. The sauce is fantastic served on top of ice cream, brownies, pound cake, cheesecake, etc. When serving it over ice cream, I warmed it up just a bit, and it was perfect!

I gave away several jars of this chocolate raspberry sundae sauce for birthdays and Christmas last year… guess I will need to make some more very soon!  If you are NOT canning it for long term storage, then make sure you keep the jars of sauce stored in refrigerator. It will only last short-term, but could still be given as gifts, or enjoyed with dessert!

I used some of these fresh raspberries that I picked for the sauce. Nothing beats the flavor of sun-kissed fresh raspberries!

Fresh raspberries ready to make sundae sauce!

Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce Is Canned In A Water Bath Canner

Once the jars are filled per instructions (see printable recipe below), they are canned. This is a photo of the jars in my water bath canner, ready for processing. The process is simple and doesn’t take too much time to process jars of this sauce to make them stable enough for long term storage.

Loading jars of chocolate raspberry sauce into canner for processing.

Ready To Enjoy!

And there you have it… cute little jars of chocolate raspberry sundae sauce. It’s a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! I’ve even used it on cheesecake, with great results! You could even eat it straight from the jar (not that I have any experience with THAT- wink wink).

This chocolate raspberry sundae sauce is packed with decadent flavor, and I am sure you will love it!

Jar of chocolate raspberry sundae sauce ready to store in pantry.

See how thick the chocolate raspberry sundae sauce turns out? It really is delicious!!!

Sundae sauce is thick and rich, and tastes great on ice cream and cake.

Hope you will give this recipe for chocolate raspberry sundae sauce a try. You will love it! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon.

Looking For More SAUCE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful recipes for a variety of sauces, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a fantastic day!

Author's signatureRecipe Source: “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving”, page 188, published by Robert Rose, Inc.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate flavored sauce for long term storage!
Category: Dessert Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate raspberry sundae sauce
Servings: 6 8 oz. jars
Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 package powdered pectin (1.75 ounces)
  • 4 1/2 cups crushed red raspberries
  • 4 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 6 3/4 cups granulated sugar
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. First, get your water bath canner, lids, and canning jars ready to go (per normal canning procedures for cleaning/heating jars and lids).
  2. Mix together the cocoa and pectin in a medium sized bowl until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Put the crushed raspberries and the lemon juice in a large stainless steel saucepan. Whisk in the pectin/cocoa mixture, until it dissolves. Turn your stovetop heat to high; bring this mixture to a full boil. Stir frequently.
  4. Once the fruit mixture is boiling, add the sugar all at one time. Stir to blend. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil; stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Boil it (a full, rolling boil) for 1 minute, then remove pan from heat, skim off any foam that has collected on top of the sauce, and discard.
  5. Ladle the HOT sauce into your hot, prepared jars. Be sure to leave 1/4 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles that may be trapped in jar. Adjust the headspace (if needed). Add additional sauce if necessary to maintain 1/4' headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any residual sauce (to ensure a good seal). Center the lid on the jar, then screw the jar band down to finger-tip tight resistance.
  6. Carefully place the jars into your canner. Make sure the jars are completely covered with water (fill about an inch over the top of the jars). Bring the water in the canner to a boil, then cover, and process jars for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the canner lid. Wait an additional 5 minutes, then remove the jars to a dish towel to cool. Do not move the jars around while they cool. You should hear the jars make a "ping" sound several minutes later, as they seal.
  7. Once jars have sealed and are completely cooled, place them in storage or pantry.
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 60
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 15mg0%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Sugar 14g16%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce is a perfect topping for ice cream or cake! Learn how to can this thick chocolate flavored sauce for long term storage!

 

 

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Jan
2015

Homemade Amaretto

categories: Beverages, Italian
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Make homemade amaretto, a sweet Italian almond flavored liqueur, inexpensively at home! It’s easy, and can be used for cocktails or in other recipes.Make homemade amaretto, a sweet Italian almond flavored liqueur inexpensively at home! It's easy, and can be used for cocktails or in other recipes.
I recently whipped up some homemade Amaretto. It was so easy to make, and it only took a few minutes. I wanted to have it on hand, to use in a few recipes, but didn’t want to go to the store to buy an entire bottle just for a small amount needed.

Really… why pay some serious bucks for an entire bottle, when all you need might be 1/4 cup for a recipe? So I decided to make my own! If you are familiar with Amaretto, you know that it is a sweet, almond-flavored Italian liqueur.

A lot of people use it in cocktails, but it can also be used in numerous recipes.  I adapted a recipe I’ve had for years, and ended up making a small bottle of amaretto (approx. 13-14 ounces) that will be more than enough for several recipes, plus a few more.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Is Homemade Amaretto Easy To Make?

Homemade Amaretto is totally easy to make.  You do need to have a bottle of cheap vodka in order to make this amaretto (you need 1 cup).

I happened to have a bottle stuck away because I make my own vanilla extract, and use that as the base (but that’s a completely different recipe, right?)

So How Do You Make Homemade Amaretto?

Making the amaretto is very easy! Water, granulated sugar and brown sugar are cooked in a saucepan, on medium heat, until the sugars are dissolved.

Bring this mixture to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool completely.

Water, sugar and brown sugar are cooked until sugar dissolves.

Add Extracts

After the homemade amaretto has cooled completely, add the vodka, pure almond extract and vanilla extract, and stir to combine.

Vodka, almond and vanilla extracts are added to the homemade amaretto mixture in pan.

Have a clean jar ready for the homemade amaretto. Use a funnel to pour the cooled homemade amaretto liqueur into the bottle.

The homemade amaretto is transferred into a bottle by using a funnel.

Into the bottle goes the homemade amaretto. It sure smells good! In fact, even a year or two later, I occasionally open the bottle just to smell this liqueur… it smells heavenly!

Pouring the homemade amaretto into a funnel, then into the bottle.

Put a label on the bottle, add a cork or screw top to seal it, and store your homemade amaretto in a cool, dark place.

Homemade Amaretto is ready to store in cool, dark place.

If you are interested in making this recipe, you will discover you can make your own homemade amaretto for a fraction of the cost of buying it at a store. Hope you will consider giving this recipe a try.

Thanks for stopping by. Don’t forget to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. Have a great day!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe inspired by: Todd Wilbur’s Top Secret Recipe’s version of DiSaronno Amaretto

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

4.5 from 2 votes
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Homemade Amaretto
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Make homemade amaretto, a sweet Italian almond flavored liqueur inexpensively at home! It's easy, and can be used for cocktails or in other recipes.

Category: Liqueur
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: amaretto
Servings: 14 ounces ( 1 oz. per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 85 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar + 1 Tablespoon
  • 1 cup vodka
  • 1 Tablespoon almond extract (extract with no added oils)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a medium pan, add the water, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugars.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil; if all the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Set aside and let the hot syrup cool for 10-15 minutes.
  3. To the cooled mixture, add the vodka, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Mix well, to combine.
  4. Pour amaretto into a clean bottle using a funnel. Place cork or a top on the bottle to seal it. Store in pantry or cool, dark place.
  5. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Note: Recipe inspired by: Todd Wilbur's Top Secret Recipe's version of DiSaronno Amaretto

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Amaretto
Amount Per Serving (1 ounce)
Calories 85
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 5mg0%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Calcium 3mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Jan
2015

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes
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A teriyaki chicken rice bowl is a yummy one dish meal, with chicken, broccoli, cabbage and green onions, in a teriyaki glaze, served on a bed of rice.A teriyaki chicken rice bowl is a yummy one dish meal, with chicken, broccoli, cabbage and green onions, in a teriyaki glaze, served on a bed of rice.
Years ago I loved occasionally buying a teriyaki chicken rice bowl for lunch from a local Japanese restaurant near my office. It was always a delicious meal! I loved the simple goodness of the chicken, rice, veggies, and the delicious teriyaki glaze on top of the whole thing. Scrumptious!

Recently I decided to make a similar dish for dinner for my husband and I to (hopefully) enjoy. I steamed some rice and broccoli, sauteéd some green cabbage with green onion and a little bit of soy sauce, and pan-seared some lightly seasoned chicken strips. These were then coated with a teriyaki glaze, and layered in a bowl with extra teriyaki glaze on top, and presto! A filling, tasty, relatively inexpensive, and healthy Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl was cooked and devoured!

The “recipe” I came up with is so simple, I hardly can call it a “recipe”. But for purposes of this little blog, that is, in fact, what I will call it. Okey-dokey?

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make A Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

Hope you will give this easy to fix dinner a try. I really think you’re gonna like it! Start by cooking shredded green cabbage with green onion.

Shredded cabbage and green onions are cooked in skillet.

Add a tiny bit of soy sauce, once the cabbage has cooked down.

Soy sauce is added to the cooked down cabbage and green onions.

Cook the broccoli, using whatever method you prefer. I steamed the broccoli florets on top of my rice cooker, which was easy-peasy!

Broccoli is cooked to add to the teriyaki chicken rice bowl.

Prepare The Chicken

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into strips.  Season them lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pan sear the chicken in hot oil on all sides until light brown and cooked through.

Seasoned chicken strips are pan-seared in skillet.

Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the teriyaki glaze to the skillet. Stir often and turn the chicken to coat the pieces with glaze on all sides. Continue cooking until the chicken is heated through.

Teriyaki glaze is added to the skillet full of cooked chicken strips.

Time To Build The Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

Place steamed white rice on the bottom of the bowl. Divide the rice evenly between both bowls.

Steamed rice goes on the bottom of the teriyaki chicken rice bowl.

Top the rice with the cabbage and green onion mixture, and then follow that with steamed broccoli.

Cooked cabbage and steamed broccoli is added to the rice bowl.

Lay the hot teriyaki chicken strips. I spooned a bit more of the glaze over the teriyaki chicken rice bowl. Sprinkle the chicken strips with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Ready to eat!

Teriyaki chicken rice bowl is topped with chicken, glaze, green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Hope you enjoy this delicious, all in one teriyaki chicken rice bowl! Thank you for stopping by… I hope you come back soon. Have a great day!

Looking For More ASIAN-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few family favorite Asian-inspired recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

A teriyaki chicken rice bowl is a yummy one dish meal, with chicken, broccoli, cabbage and green onions, in a teriyaki glaze, served on a bed of rice.

Category: Dinner, Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: teriyaki chicken rice bowl
Servings: 2 servings
Calories Per Serving: 651 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked white rice
  • 2 cups cooked broccoli
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped green cabbage
  • 1 stem green onion (white and green parts), sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (for cooking cabbage)
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 boneless , skinless, chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
  • Salt , Pepper, Garlic Powder (to season chicken breasts)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
  • 1/2 cup teriyaki glaze (NOT teriyaki sauce... make sure you buy the GLAZE)
  • Additional sliced green onion and sesame seeds , for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Pre-cook the rice. Keep warm.
  2. Steam or precook the broccoli. Keep warm.
  3. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil until very hot. Add the chopped cabbage and the green onion. Stir fry the cabbage for several minutes. Add 2 Tablespoons water, some salt and pepper (for seasoning), and continue cooking for a total of about 5 minutes. Cabbage should have cooked down. Add 1 Tablespoon soy sauce to cabbage. Stir well, to combine, then remove skillet from heat.
  4. In separate skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil and sesame oil until very hot. Lightly season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Add chicken strips to the oil once skillet is very hot. Sear the strips for several minutes, then turn over and cook the other side for a few minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. Chicken should be light golden brown. Turn the heat down to low; add the teriyaki sauce to the skillet. Coat chicken with sauce (spoon it over the pieces), then turn each piece over, to fully coat. Heat fully. Once hot, remove pan from heat.
  5. Reheat rice, cabbage or broccoli in microwave, if necessary.
  6. In serving bowl, place 1 cup of cooked rice. Level it out. Place half of the cabbage on top of the rice. Layer half of the broccoli on top of the cabbage. Place half the chicken strips on top of the broccoli. Spoon additional teriyaki glaze over the chicken. Sprinkle with additional sliced green onions, and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 651 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 3455mg150%
Potassium 1031mg29%
Carbohydrates 65g22%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 36g72%
Vitamin A 650IU13%
Vitamin C 101.7mg123%
Calcium 103mg10%
Iron 3.1mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!A teriyaki chicken rice bowl is a yummy one dish meal, with chicken, broccoli, cabbage and green onions, in a teriyaki glaze, served on a bed of rice.

 

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Jan
2015

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites

categories: Chocolate, Desserts, Ice Cream/Frozen Treats
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Chocolate dipped frozen banana bites are sure to be a big hit with family or friends! A couple bites will help satisfy any sweet tooth!Frozen banana bites, dipped in chocolate, are sure to be a big hit with family or friends... just a couple pieces will satisfy your sweet tooth!
I love frozen chocolate bananas… and now I love making these chocolate dipped frozen banana bites!  Tiny bites of yumminess, that bring back lots of great memories!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas Bring Back Lots Of Memories

When our boys were little, we lived near Newport Beach, CA. We loved taking our boys every couple of weeks to Balboa Island (at Newport Beach) to feed the ducks! Our weekend or early evening walks would take us around the entire waterfront island.

We loved walking with our little boys, enjoying the sunshine AND gawking at the stunning multi-million dollar waterfront homes right next to the sidewalks we walked on. The sidewalks were also right next to the water in the bay! It was our CHEAP form of family entertainment, and our boys LOVED this fun family time!

Our walks around the island took quite a while (especially with two curious little boys AND hungry ducks!), as you can imagine. These family walks would always end up on the main street, which had lots of shops, restaurants, AND take out food stands!

We would end our adventure by purchasing  “Balboa Bars” (chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bars) or Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas for each of us! My favorite treat was getting a frozen banana, and watching them dip it into a vat of melted chocolate! YUM!

How I Decided To Make This Bite-Size Frozen Treat

I have made frozen slices of bananas as snacks for several years, but decided recently that they would be even more delicious if the bite-sized slices were dipped in chocolate. I mean… who doesn’t enjoy a good chocolate dipped frozen banana at times, so I made some!

There were some semi-sweet and white chocolate chips left over in the pantry from a recent recipe, along with some butterscotch chips. I melted a little bit of EACH variety, and dipped some frozen banana slices into the chocolate to coat them, and then re-froze the banana slices. These chocolate dipped frozen banana bites are the result!

The results were wonderful! Here’s some photos and a few details showing how to make these frozen treats!

How To Make Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites

First you will need to slice up several bananas (I used 3). Place the slices in a single layer (not touching) on a large baking tray and freeze for 2 hours.

Sliced frozen bananas on a cookie sheet are ready to make chocolate dipped frozen banana bites.

Dipping the Frozen Banana Bites

Remove the frozen banana slices once solidly frozen. Melt the chocolate chips (whatever kind you like), and then completely coat each of the frozen banana slices.

The photo below shows me dipping the frozen banana bites into semi-sweet chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl after dipping.

Melted semi-sweet chocolate is used to coat a frozen banana bite.

Place the covered frozen banana bites onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refreeze the slices after coating with chocolate.

Decorating Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites

Once solidly frozen, you can decorate the tops of the chocolate dipped frozen banana bites, if desired. Drizzle some melted white chocolate and/or butterscotch chips over each one. Place back into the freezer for a final time. Freeze for a couple hours before serving!

These frozen chocolate covered banana bites are drizzled with melted white chocolate and butterscotch chips.

I also coated some of the banana slices in white chocolate, then drizzled melted semi-sweet and butterscotch chips over the tops. Just remember to freeze coated slices for a couple hours before serving!

Frozen banana bites are dipped in semi sweet chocolate or white chocolate.

Here’s a closeup picture of one that was cut into, so you could see what the inside looks like… nothing but frozen banana! YUM!

This chocolate dipped frozen banana bite is cut in half, to show inside.

PERFECTION!  The chocolate dipped frozen banana bites are just the right size for a quick bite. Instead of eating an entire chocolate dipped frozen banana, I can eat just a couple slices and be deliriously happy! Hope you’ll give these a try. You (and most kids) will love ’em!

Looking For More Frozen Dessert Treats?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of frozen desserts, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe source: My brain.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
0 mins
Freezing Time (inactive)
2 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs
 

Chocolate dipped frozen banana bites are sure to be a big hit with family or friends! A couple bites will help satisfy any sweet tooth!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate dipped frozen banana
Servings: 15 servings (2 per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 102 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 medium bananas
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chocolate of your choice)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon vegetable shortening
  • Additional melted butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Peel and slice bananas into 1 inch slices. Place slices in a single layer (not touching) on a baking tray, and freeze for 2-3 hours.

  2. In a small microwaveable bowl, put the chocolate chips and vegetable shortening. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. STIR. Melt an additional 30 seconds. Remove chocolate mixture and stir until completely smooth.

  3. Dip each frozen slice of banana into melted chocolate. Remove from chocolate (a fork works well), letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Place banana bites onto parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet to harden. Repeat process with other banana slices. If desired, you can freeze banana bites until hard again, then drizzle with additional melted white chocolate or butterscotch.

  4. Place cookie tray back into freezer. Freeze chocolate dipped banana bites for 2 additional hours or until frozen solid. Once frozen solidly, they are ready to eat! Keep extra frozen banana bites in a sealed container in freezer. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

No matter what kind of baking chip you use, the ratio is still the same: 1 cup chips to 1 heaping teaspoon vegetable shortening.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites
Amount Per Serving (2 pieces)
Calories 102 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 12mg1%
Potassium 152mg4%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Vitamin A 20IU0%
Vitamin C 2.1mg3%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate dipped frozen banana bites are sure to be a big hit with family or friends! A couple bites will help satisfy any sweet tooth!

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Jan
2015

Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce

categories: Main Dishes, Pork
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Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry sauce is marinated then slow roasted, and is served topped with a delicious cranberry raspberry wine sauce. This is a perfect dish to serve during the holidays (or any time you have access to fresh cranberries)!Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry sauce is marinated then slow roasted, and is served topped with a delicious cranberry/raspberry/wine sauce.
A couple of days ago I found another great recipe for Pork. I found this recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce on Pinterest, and decided it might be worth a try, to see if it tasted as good as it looked. Yep – It did.

 While the tenderloin is baking, you cook an amazing sauce, made from cranberries, raspberries, orange zest, butter, shallots, and red wine. The sauce smells wonderful as it is cooking.

The finished meal is not only nice to look at, but it actually tastes wonderful! This would be a great meal to serve company, or during the holidays. It’s simple enough to prepare, but it looks rather elegant when served. Maybe you will consider making this meal for your family or friends.

Make The Marinade For The Pork Tenderloin

Grating the lemon zest is the start to making a great marinade for the pork tenderloin.

Lemon zest is gathered to make pork tenderloin marinade.

A bit of Dijon mustard helps give the marinade a great flavor. Into the lemon juice it goes, then it’s mixed well, to combine.

Dijon mustard is added to lemon juice for pork marinade.

Marinade the pork tenderloin for several hours (or preferably overnight for best flavor). See the pieces of minced garlic and rosemary? 

Pork tenderloin marinades for a few hours before baking.

Make The Cranberry Raspberry Sauce 

TIP: Make the sauce after browning the tenderloin (see photos further below), and while the tenderloin is baking in the oven.

To make the sauce, cook chopped shallots in melted butter in a large skillet. The sauce sure smells good while this is cooking.

Chopped shallots cook in butter for cranberry sauce for pork tenderloin.

Add orange juice to the butter-cooked shallots in the skillet and continue to cook.

Orange juice added to shallots in sauce for pork tenderloin.

Now it’s time to add red wine, sugar and orange zest to the sauce. Stir well, to combine these ingredients.

Red wine, sugar, orange zest added to sauce for pork tenderloin.

Add the whole cranberries and raspberries to the sauce, and cook for 20 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.

Cranberries and raspberries added to pork tenderloin sauce.

After sauce has cooked for 20 minutes, the sauce should be reduced in volume, and slightly thickened.

I actually might have sampled the sauce once (at least 5 times) while it was cooking, to make sure it was “fit for consumption”. Somebody has to taste-test it, right???

I do what I can, to ensure any meal I prepare is going to be a good one…except for the nights we have a bowl of cereal for dinner. Then we’re on our own.

Cranberry-raspberry sauce for pork tenderloin cooking in skillet.

Pan Sear The Pork Tenderloin

Heat oil in a large oven-proof skillet (big enough to hold the entire pork tenderloin). Cook the pork until it has become browned on the bottom side, then carefully turn the tenderloin over.

Marinated pork tenderloin is seared in skillet.

Sear the other side of the meat until browned, then put the oven-proof skillet and meat into a preheated oven, to bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes.

Pork tenderloin is seared on both sides before baking.

Serve The Pork Tenderloin With Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

Once pork is done roasting, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, before slicing and serving.

Slice the tenderloin, then spoon the cranberry-raspberry sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve!

Baked pork tenderloin is served with cranberry-raspberry sauce on top.

Place a couple slices of pork on each plate to serve. Remember to spoon more of that delicious sauce on each serving! Enjoy!

I served the pork with a side of broccoli, and Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots. Yum!

Slices of pork tenderloin with sauce served on plate, with broccoli.

Hope you enjoy this pork tenderloin with cranberry-raspberry sauce! I trust you will enjoy eating it, and serving it to those you love! Have a wonderful day!

Looking For More PORK Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful PORK recipes to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: http://deliciousshots.blogspot.com/2011/11/pork-tenderloin.html

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Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce
Prep Time
3 hrs
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
 
Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry sauce is marinated then slow roasted, and is served topped with a delicious cranberry/raspberry/wine sauce.
Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pork tenderloin
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 429 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the Pork Marinade:
  • 2 to 2 1/2 pound pork tenderloin
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 lemons , juiced and zested
  • 2 rosemary sprigs , or 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon each , salt and pepper
  • 4 Tablespoons olive oil (for searing the tenderloin)
For the Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium sized shallot , finely chopped
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • The zest of 1 orange
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 12 ounces raspberries , fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup of cranberries , fresh or frozen
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Make the marinade:
  1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, and the Dijon mustard. Add 1/2 cup olive oil to this mixture, while whisking to fully incorporate. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and rosemary. Mix well.
  2. Place the pork and the marinade in a large resealable plastic bag or container. Squeeze the air out and seal the bag or container. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Turn bag occasionally to make sure the pork is covered with the marinade. If using a flat container, occasionally spoon marinade over the pork.
  3. When pork has finished marinading, preheat the oven to 425 F.
  4. In a oven-proof saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Remove the tenderloin from the marinade. When oil is very hot, add the tenderloin to the hot oil. Sprinkle additional salt and pepper on the tenderloin. Do not move the pork for a few minutes in order to ensure a good sear! Sear both sides of the pork until golden brown. Place the pan in the oven and roast the pork for 30-40 minutes (adjust to less time if using smaller tenderloin) or until the meat registers 165 F. Take pork out of the oven, cover it with aluminum foil. Let the covered pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing (this helps to keep the juice in the meat, not all over the platter).
While the meat is cooking, make the cranberry-raspberry sauce:

  1. In a large non-stick skillet, melt the butter. Add the chopped shallots. Cook shallots for about 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the orange juice, orange zest, red wine, and sugar to the pan. Mix well; continue cooking on low heat until sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries and raspberries to the pan. Cook over medium heat until sauce reduces and thickens (about 20 minutes). Stir sauce occasionally.

  2. When roast is done and has "rested", slice into serving portions, place meat on serving platter, and spoon the warm sauce over the top of the pork slices. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note that the lengthy prep time is not "Active" prep time. The length is to allow the pork marinating time.

Also remember to adjust down the cooking time if you are using a smaller pork tenderloin. Smaller tenderloins will cook in 20-25 minutes. Just gauge by the internal temperature of the pork.

Nutrition Facts
Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 slice w/ sauce)
Calories 429 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 81mg27%
Sodium 203mg9%
Potassium 651mg19%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 24g48%
Vitamin A 140IU3%
Vitamin C 38.9mg47%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry sauce is marinated then slow roasted, and is served topped with a delicious cranberry/raspberry/wine sauce.

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Jan
2015

Raspberry Yogurt Smoothie

categories: Beverages, Breakfast
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You’re gonna love this easy to make raspberry yogurt smoothie, with raspberries, banana, and Greek yogurt, sweetened with honey. It’s cold and delicious!You're gonna love this easy to make raspberry yogurt smoothie, with raspberries, banana, and Greek yogurt, sweetened with honey. Cold and delicious!
Well, it’s the New Year and it seems like everyone I know is on a new diet. Smoothies are all the talk this time of year. I happen to love smoothies. Here’s a great recipe for making a Raspberry Yogurt Smoothie.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

They are so easy to make. Basically you throw a bunch of “good for you” ingredients in a blender,  and blend until you have a nice cold, creamy, fruity beverage! Like this raspberry yogurt smoothie, for example!

I use Greek yogurt (for added protein) in a lot of the smoothies I make. I pick fresh raspberries each summer at a local U-Pick farm, so I always seem to have raspberries hanging out in my freezer, and bananas on our kitchen counter all year long. This is a GOOD thing when I want to make a cold fruit smoothie.

Fresh picked raspberries are perfect to use for jams and smoothies!

A lot of times I will double the amount of ingredients for any smoothie I make. Any leftover smoothies can be frozen and eaten later, when it will have firmed up, similar to ice cream, but better for you. Let it thaw a bit, then dish it up!

Turn A Raspberry Yogurt Smoothie Into A Popsicle!

You can also make popsicle-style treats with smoothies. Just pour the smoothie into a popsicle mold and freeze until later. It’s a wonderful, nutritious treat!

It's easy to turn a raspberry yogurt smoothie into a popsicle!

I’m pretty sure by now everyone has their way of making a fruit smoothie. That’s awesome! This is my way… hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy a cold and delicious raspberry smoothie.

Looking For More SMOOTHIE Recipes?

You can find all of my smoothie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorite smoothies include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Raspberry Yogurt Smoothie
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

You're gonna love this easy to make raspberry yogurt smoothie, with raspberries, banana, and Greek yogurt, sweetened with honey. Cold and delicious!

Category: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Keyword: raspberry yogurt smoothie
Servings: 1 large serving
Calories Per Serving: 383 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 banana , sliced
  • 3/4 cup plain, fat free Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup low-fat milk
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup crushed ice
  • whipped cream (as garnish... optional!)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Put the raspberries, banana, yogurt, milk, honey and vanilla into a blender. Mix well until creamy. Add the ice and continue blending until thick and smooth. If necessary, add a bit more ice to make smoothie the thickness you desire.

  2. If desired, garnish with a spray of whipped cream! Grab a straw, drink it up, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you want, you can drink a small portion and freeze the rest. After being frozen, it will firm up similar to ice cream. Let slightly thaw, and dish it up like ice cream. I've also poured extra smoothies into popsicle holders and frozen. It makes a great popsicle-style smoothie.

Nutrition Facts
Raspberry Yogurt Smoothie
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 383 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 95mg4%
Potassium 725mg21%
Carbohydrates 72g24%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 56g62%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 60IU1%
Vitamin C 36.5mg44%
Calcium 296mg30%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You're gonna love this easy to make raspberry yogurt smoothie, with raspberries, banana, and Greek yogurt, sweetened with honey. Cold and delicious!

 

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Jan
2015

Spanish Rice

categories: Mexican / Southwestern, Side Dishes
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It’s easy to make delicious Spanish Rice from scratch, with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and spices. Perfect side dish for most Mexican foods.Spanish Rice / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Mexican cuisine is my favorite type of food to eat, if given the choice. I really enjoy making tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, tamales, refried beans and Spanish Rice. For years I bought and cooked a “name brand” version of Spanish Rice to serve with our Mexican dinners.

Why Not Make Spanish Rice From Scratch?

A few years ago, I decided to try to make my own version, so I could control what ingredients went into this dish. I don’t know what took me so long to make Spanish rice from scratch! Typically I have all the ingredients necessary, already in my pantry. I love that I don’t have to purchase a pre-boxed, shelf stable version (with some interesting ingredients) to prepare!

The best part is I can make it myself, with FRESH ingredients in just about the same time as the box mix! Spanish Rice is simple to make, and it’s delicious! Serve this delicious Spanish Rice as a side dish with a couple of tacos or enchiladas, and BOOM! You’ve got a great meal!

Spanish rice is a great side dish when serving tacos.

Sure hope you’ll give this recipe for Spanish rice a try! The rice is and easy to make, filling side dish. I think you will like it, especially served with some yummy tacos or enchiladas! Enjoy!

Looking For More MEXICAN FOOD Recipes?

You can find all my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorite Mexican or Southwest inspired recipes are:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: My brain, and my Mexican food hunger pangs.

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Spanish Rice
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
It's easy to make delicious Spanish Rice from scratch, with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and spices. Perfect side dish for most Mexican foods.
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: spanish rice
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 176 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup brown onion , finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green pepper , chopped finely
  • 14 ounces diced tomatoes (canned-do not drain) (one 14 ounce can)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • cilantro for garnish , if desired
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions and green pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until onions are softened and translucent.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan (except for cilantro). Stir until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

  3. Bring mixture to a quick boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pan and cook rice on low simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time, until liquid has all been absorbed into the rice.
    Check on the rice at the 20 minute mark. If rice needs more cooking time to absorb more liquid, continue cooking. Keep an eye on it, so that you don't burn the rice. When rice is done, place it into serving dish and garnish with cilantro, if desired.  Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Spanish Rice
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 176 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Sodium 684mg30%
Potassium 217mg6%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 220IU4%
Vitamin C 17.6mg21%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make delicious Spanish Rice from scratch, with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onion, and spices. Perfect side dish for most Mexican foods.

 

 

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Jan
2015

Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Smashed potatoes with mushrooms and shallots are a perfect side dish to serve with pork, beef or chicken.Smashed potatoes with mushrooms and shallots, are a perfect side dish to serve with pork, beef or chicken.
Last night I made Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots as a side dish with our dinner. Wow! Think I’ve found another delicious side dish! My husband and I enjoyed them very much! I knew I wanted to serve red potatoes on the side, and knew I didn’t want “regular” mashed potatoes.

They needed to be jazzed up a little bit, so I ended up making these smashed potatoes without a recipe by using ingredients I already had in my kitchen. I knew these ingredients would taste wonderful added to red potatoes! And they did taste great! Yum!

What Is IN These Smashed Potatoes?

Sauteed shallots, chopped mushrooms, butter, parsley, milk, salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic give these red potatoes an extra burst of flavor! The cooked red potatoes are lightly smashed, (rather than mashed until smooth and creamy) for extra texture.

These potatoes were a perfect side dish to our pork tenderloin dinner (Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce). Easy to prepare, and delicious!

Hope you will give these smashed potatoes a try. I really do think you will enjoy serving and eating them… they would be great as a side dish with pork, beef or chicken.

How To Make Smashed Potatoes

Potatoes are cut into chunks, then cooked with some minced garlic until tender… leave the peel on the potatoes!

Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Shallots, mushrooms, garlic powder, and parsley are cooked in a bit of butter until soft.

Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Cooked potatoes are combined with cooked mushrooms, shallots, butter, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and milk. Potatoes are lightly smashed, not creamed.

Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

The smashed potatoes are garnished with a bit of parsley, and served. Easy… and delicious!

Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Hope you consider trying these smashed potatoes! Have a great day.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

Smashed red potatoes, with sauteed mushrooms and shallots, are a perfect side dish for pork, beef or chicken.

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: smashed potatoes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories Per Serving: 155 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 4 medium sized red potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic , minced
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1/3 cup shallots , finely chopped
  • 4-5 button mushrooms , chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • Salt and Pepper , to taste
  • Additional dried parsley (for garnish, if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Wash the potatoes. Do not peel. Cut the potatoes into medium sized chunks. Place potatoes into medium sauce pan and cover with water. Add minced garlic to pan. Cook on medium high heat for approximately 30 minutes, or until potatoes become tender (test by inserting knife point into potato).
  2. While potatoes are cooking, melt one teaspoon of butter in a skillet. Add the chopped shallots, chopped mushrooms, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Cook approximately 4-5 minutes, until mushrooms and shallots have cooked through and have softened.
  3. When potatoes have finished cooking, drain water. Add the sauteed shallot/mushroom mixture to the potatoes. Add milk and butter; lightly smash all ingredients together with a potato masher or a fork until ingredients are combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add additional milk, if desired.
  4. Place smashed potatoes in a serving bowl, and garnish with additional parsley, if desired.
  5. Serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Smashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Shallots
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5 of total))
Calories 155 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 61mg3%
Potassium 834mg24%
Carbohydrates 28g9%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 105IU2%
Vitamin C 15.2mg18%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here is one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Smashed potatoes with mushrooms and shallots, are a perfect side dish to serve with pork, beef or chicken.

 

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Jan
2015

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

categories: Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies- How can you go wrong with easy to make chocolate, chocolate chip cookies that get all cute and “crinkly” when you bake ’em?Chocolate Crinkle Cookies- How can you go wrong with easy to make chocolate, chocolate chip cookies that get all cute and "crinkly" when you bake 'em?

I found a recipe for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies in a used cookbook I bought while on vacation last summer in Washington. I had to spend a whopping $2 dollars on it (great deal, right?), and found some great recipes in it, including this one for a simple, fudgy, chewy cookie.

If you like chocolate chip cookies, then you will enjoy this cookie! I love chocolate chip cookies AND finding great cookbooks at bargain basement prices to add to my ever increasing cookbook collection!

These cookies are very easy to make. Melted chocolate chips give the batter it’s dark brown color. The dough also contains whole chocolate chips, so basically it’s a 2 in 1 chocolate cookie. That’s why you will like these! Seriously…how can you go wrong with chocolate, chocolate chip cookies that get all cute and “crinkly” when you bake ’em?

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These cookies are so easy to make. The first thing you will need to do is cream the butter and sugar, with an electric mixer.

Butter and granulated sugar are mixed to begin batter for chocolate crinkle cookies.

Next, melt the chocolate chips. I melted mine in the microwave. Cook on high for 30 seconds, stir well. If necessary, place back into microwave and cook and additional 30 seconds. Give them a good stir, and they should be fully melted.

Chocolate chips are melted to add to batter for chocolate crinkle cookies.

The next thing to do is mix in the melted chocolate with the batter. This is where the dough for these chocolate crinkle cookies starts to get GOOD!!!

Melted chocolate is added to batter for chocolate crinkle cookies.

The Batter For Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Is Starting To Come Together

The melted chocolate gives the batter a beautiful color. It is nice and brown in color. Now it’s time to add the remaining ingredients to the cookie batter.

After chocolate is added to cookie dough, the batter for chocolate crinkle cookies turns brown.

Now add the flour, a little at a time, to the batter. Mix the dough on slow, and continue adding flour until gone. Blend all the ingredients together.

Flour is added to chocolate crinkle cookies batter a little at a time, and mixed.

Now add the chocolate chips to the dough for chocolate crinkle cookies. The cookie dough batter is stirred, to combine.

Chocolate chips are added to the batter for the chocolate crinkle cookies.

Refrigerate the cookie dough for about 15 minutes. After you refrigerate the dough for a few minutes, the dough is much easier to roll into balls.

Shaping The Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Shae the dough into 1½ inch balls, by rolling teaspoons of dough between your clean hands to shape into balls.. Place the balls of dough onto a large baking sheet, a couple inches apart, because they will spread out while cooking.

The dough for the chocolate crinkle cookies is rolled into small balls before baking.

Baking The Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Here is one of the cookies straight out of the oven. Do you see how cute and crinkly they are? Let the cookies cool a bit before transferring them from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling..

Chocolate crinkle cookies come out of the oven nice and wrinkly, and ready to eat!

To finish the chocolate crinkle cookies, sift a little bit of powdered sugar on top of each one!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are topped with sifted powdered sugar, to finish them off before eating.

Ready To Eat Some Chocolate Crinkle Cookies!

Once the cookies have a light dusting of sifted powdered sugar, they are ready to eat!  Pour yourself a cold glass of milk, and grab a couple delicious, chocolate crinkle cookies!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies on a plate, ready to eat, with a cup of cold milk on the side.

Look at the inside of that cookie… YUM!!! I took one for the team and bit into one just so you could see the chocolate chips on the inside. You’re welcome!

The inside of the Chocolate Crinkle Cookies is chewy and fudgy!

I sure hope you will give this recipe for chocolate crinkle cookies a try. The recipe yields about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. They are scrumptious! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon for more recipes.

Looking For More Cookie Recipes?

If you enjoy these chocolate crinkle cookies, you might want to check out a few of my other cookies recipes. These include Butter Pecan Crisps, Flourless 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter, Butterscotch Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Cinnamon Chip, Dipped Gingersnaps, Cranberry Orange Pinwheel, Chocolate Chip,Holiday Spritz, and many others. All of my cookie recipes can be found in the Recipe Index at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: The cookbook “Company’s Coming-Christmas Gifts From the Kitchen”, by Jean Paré, pg.31. Published by Company’s Coming Publishing Unlimited, 2006

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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies- How can you go wrong with easy to make chocolate, chocolate chip cookies that get all cute and "crinkly" when you bake 'em?
Category: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate crinkle cookies
Servings: 30 cookies (2.5 dzn)
Calories Per Serving: 145 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 Tablespoons butter , softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar (for dusting finished cookies)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a large bowl or base of a stand mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each egg. Add vanilla and beat until batter is smooth.

  3. In a microwave safe bowl, place 1 cup chocolate chips. Heat on high in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Put back in microwave for another 30 seconds. Remove, and stir until chocolate is smooth. (You can also melt chocolate chips in saucepan over low heat). Add melted chocolate to batter mixture. Continue beating until smooth.

  4. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add this to batter, in small increments, until flour is fully incorporated. Stir in remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips. Mix dough well. Set dough in refrigerator for 10 minutes (to slightly firm up).

  5. Roll cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place dough balls on a greased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are firm. The centers may still be a bit soft, but that's okay. Remove cookies from oven. Let them stay on cookie sheets and cool for about 5 minutes before attempting to remove them. Place cookies on wire racks to cool completely. Using a sieve or sifter, sift powdered sugar over the top of cooled cookies. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 145 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 45mg2%
Potassium 98mg3%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 90IU2%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Chocolate Crinkle Cookies- How can you go wrong with easy to make chocolate, chocolate chip cookies that get all cute and "crinkly" when you bake 'em?

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Jan
2015

BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs

categories: Beef, Main Dishes
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You’ll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, with cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.
You'll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, w/ cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.
Almost 20 years ago my husband and I were served BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs at our friend Carla’s home in Central California. We thought they tasted incredible, and I’ve been making them ever since! True story!

I don’t know where she got her original recipe, but I DO know that my handwritten 3×5 card is stained from nearly 20 years of making this dish.

The recipe is fairly economical, because 1½ pounds of ground beef makes about 15 good-sized meatballs which can yield several servings.

Ground beef is mixed with spinach, grated cheddar cheese, onions, and spices, formed into individual portions, and browned in a skillet. The meatballs are baked in the oven with a homemade BBQ glaze coating them. 

They come out of the oven amazingly delicious! The meatballs are simple to make, and taste GREAT, served over steamed rice. Our sons are grown men and no longer living at home, so when I make this meal for myself and my hubby, I make extra rice, so we can enjoy another meal of leftovers! Here’s how to make these BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Meatballs

Place the spices, ground beef, cheese, onions and spinach in a large bowl. Use a fork to completely mix these ingredients together.

Hamburger meat, cheese, onion and spinach in a bowl.

When all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined, it’s time to shape the mixture into cute, round meatballs!

Beef is mixed with other ingredients in bowl.

Shape the meat mixture into a ball, rolling each one between the palms of your clean hands! Each meatball should be about 2 inches in diameter.

A meatball being held in the palm of my hand.

Brown The Meatballs

You can make about 15 meatballs from the ground beef. Place them on aluminum foil as you make each one, before browning them in a skillet.

Meatballs are shaped and rest on aluminum foil.

Here are the meatballs, browning in the skillet. If you do not have a large enough skillet to hold all the meatballs, no problem! You will simply need to brown them in two batches.

The BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs cooking in a skillet.

Brown the meatballs on all sides, but be sure NOT to cook them all the way through. They will finish cooking all the way through in the oven.

Browned meatballs in skillet.

Dip Browned Meatballs Into Flour

Remove the meatballs from the skillet once they are browned. Place a couple meatballs at a time into a small bowl of flour. Turn the meatballs gently, and cover them on all sides with flour.

All of the browned meatballs are coated in flour in small bowl.

Place the flour-coated meatballs into the baking dish, in a single layer. Now they’re ready for the BBQ sauce!

Flour coated meatballs in a glass baking dish.

Make the sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, and pour it over the tops of the meatballs. Now it’s time to bake the BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs!

BBQ glaze coats the meatballs in the dish.

Bake The Glazed BBQ Cheese Spinach Meatballs

When the meatballs are finished baking, remove them from the oven. The photo below shows what they look like hot, straight out of the oven. They smell so good!

BBQ glazed cheese & spinach meatballs, after baking.

Time To Eat BBQ Glazed Cheese Spinach Meatballs!

Place a few meatballs on each individual plate. We enjoy them served on top of a bed of steamed rice. Drizzle the tops of the meatballs with that delicious BBQ sauce.

Garnish with a bit of parsley flakes, and serve the glazed BBQ cheese spinach meatballs while hot. All that’s left to do is grab a fork, and dig In, and enjoy the meatballs!

Glazed meatballs are served on top of cooked rice.

This dish is especially delicious served with a side of rice, and a yummy salad or veggie. I hope you will give them a try, because I think you’re gonna love ’em!

Thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you… and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More MEATBALL Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of delicious recipes featuring meatballs, including:

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Thanks for stopping by, and I truly hope you will come back soon for more delicious dishes. Have a great day!

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Author's signatureRecipe Adapted from: My friend Carla Merrill

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

You'll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, w/ cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ glazed meatballs
Servings: 15 meatballs
Calories Per Serving: 226 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Meatballs:
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 package frozen chopped spinach , thawed completely and drained well
  • 1 small brown onion , finely chopped
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 Tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 Tablespoons oil
For sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 6 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Pinch dried parsley , for garnish (if desired)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

  2. In large bowl, combine ground beef, thawed and *drained spinach* (see note), onion, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and grated cheddar. (*Note: Make sure the spinach is drained very well. Press the spinach between paper towels to absorb a lot of water!) Completely combine ingredients.

  3. Using both hands, roll/shape meat into 2" balls (make approx. 15). Set meatballs onto non-stick paper or foil while making the rest.

  4. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. When hot, add meatballs. Don't move them the first couple of minutes (so they won't break apart). Brown all sides (but do not cook all the way through). Remove them to paper towels to drain. Place flour in a small bowl. Gently roll each meatball in flour. Once covered on all sides with flour, place them in an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish. Set aside. 

  5. Make The BBQ Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, mustard, butter, ketchup, and brown sugar. Simmer 2-3 minutes on low heat until butter melts and ingredients are combined. Pour sauce over the top of meatballs (spoon it up to cover them all).

  6. Bake uncovered, at 325°F for 45-50 minutes. When done, transfer pan to wire rack.  To serve, place meatballs on top of steamed rice (if using); spoon sauce from pan over top. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.  Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you want to make more than 15 meatballs, use 2 pounds of hamburger meat. Everything else in the recipe remains the same. You should be able to get about 20 meatballs this way. A serving size is 3-4 meatballs.

Nutrition Facts
BBQ Glazed Cheese & Spinach Meatballs
Amount Per Serving (3 meatballs)
Calories 226 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 46mg15%
Sodium 444mg19%
Potassium 241mg7%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 2400IU48%
Vitamin C 2.1mg3%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll enjoy yummy baked BBQ glazed cheese spinach meatballs, w/ cheddar and spinach, glazed with a homemade sweet, tangy sauce.

 

 

 

 

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