The Grateful Girl Cooks!

13
Nov
2020

Awesome Pecan Pie

categories: Desserts, Holidays!, Pies/Tarts

29 Shares

Ready for the holidays? Why not bake an awesome pecan pie from scratch? This pie is absolutely delicious, and it’s very simple to make.
My husband absolutely LOVES pecan pie. For many, many years I have made pecan pies, using the recipe found on the bottle of corn syrup (one of the ingredients).

All that has changed now, ever since I began making awesome pecan pie using another recipe. It’s a total KEEPER, and I want to share the recipe here with you today, and show you how to make it.

One of the unique things about this recipe that sets it apart is in its use of pecans. The recipe calls for finely chopped pecans, quartered pecans, and whole pecan halves used to decorate the top of this delicious pie.

This is also a vey easy pie to make. The flaky buttery crust, as written in the recipe is fantastic, but if really pressed for time, you could always use a pie dough shell. Let me show you how to make an awesome pecan pie!

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

Make The Pie Crust

Measure all purpose flour, granulated sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter to “cut” chunks of very cold butter into the flour mixture. Do this until the butter has been “cut” into the crumbs (and becomes about the size of peas).

Sprinkle the dough with ice water, and stir until the pastry dough is bound together enough to form a dough ball.

Tip: You can also do this step in a food processor, if desired. Pulse cold butter chunks into flour mixture until butter is the size of peas. Drizzle in cold water while machine is running, until dough ball is formed.

Place the dough ball on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out until it becomes a circle that is at least an inch larger than the pie pan you will be using.

Carefully transfer the pie crust to the pie pan (I fold the dough circle in half, then lift it up and place it into the pie pan). PLACE THE PIE CRUST IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR TO KEEP IT COLD WHILE YOU MAKE THE FILLING!

Make The Awesome Pecan Pie Filling

Now it’s time to make the pie filling. The ingredients for the filling are eggs, light and dark corn syrup, butter, brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and finely chopped pecans.

Whisk or stir these ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl until they are fully combined. I usually whisk the eggs lightly, then stir in the rest!

Fill The Pie

Use the tines of a fork to puncture the crust dough in several places on the bottom and sides. This helps to prevent air pockets from forming.

Add the quartered pecans to the crust, spreading them in a single layer, to cover the bottom as much as possible.

Carefully pour the pie filling over the quartered pecans in the pie crust. Once the filling is in, decoratively arrange the remaining pecan halves over the top of the pie.

I start by going around the edge, and then work my way into the center with the pecan halves. They will lay right on top of the filling.

Bake Your Awesome Pecan Pie

The last thing you will need to do is trim off any excess dough, then crimp the edges of your pie crust decoratively. Once that’s done, place the pie on the middle rack of a preheated 350°F oven.

Bake the pie for 1 hour, or until firm and nicely browned. The crust should be golden and flaky when done.

Time For A Slice Of Pecan Pie!

Once the pie has cooled (for about an hour), it is ready to serve (it slices better, too!). We actually prefer it served at room temperature.

If you want, you can serve it warm with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream! The pie is rich and sweet, so we “usually” eat it without ice cream.

Once cooled, the pie can be easily sliced into 12 thin wedges and transferred to individual plates, for serving. Grab a fork, and dig in. I really think you will LOVE this awesome pecan pie!

I really hope you enjoy this awesome pecan pie! We absolutely LOVE it, and trust you will find it delicious, too! Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you will come back soon.

Looking For More PIE Recipes?

You can find all my pie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

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

Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: allrecipes.com/recipe/18433/irresistible-pecan-pie/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Awesome Pecan Pie

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

Ready for the holidays? Why not bake an awesome pecan pie from scratch? This pie is absolutely delicious, and it's very simple to make.

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: awesome pecan pie

Servings: 12

Calories Per Serving: 444 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Crust:

1½ cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (1 stick) , very cold & cut in chunks
4 Tablespoons ice water

For Pie Filling:

3 large eggs
¾ cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons dark corn syrup
¾ cup light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons butter , melted
1 pinch salt
½ cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup pecan halves, quartered (each half cut in 4 pcs.)
1 cup pecan halves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make The Crust: Mix flour, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Cut chunks of cold butter into flour mixture, using two forks or a pastry blender. Continue until butter has been reduced to about the size of peas). Sprinkle dough with ice water, and stir well until the pastry dough is bound together enough to form a dough ball. Tip: You can also do this step in a food processor, if desired. Pulse cold butter chunks into flour mixture until butter is the size of peas. Drizzle in cold water while machine is running, until dough ball is formed.
Place dough ball on floured work surface. Roll out until it becomes a circle an inch larger than the pie pan. Transfer crust to pan (fold circle in half, lift it up, place it in pie pan, unfold). PLACE PIE CRUST (IN PAN) INTO REFRIGERATOR TO KEEP IT COLD WHILE YOU MAKE THE PIE FILLING!
Make The Filling: Whisk/stir eggs, light and dark corn syrups, melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and finely chopped pecans in medium mixing bowl until fully combined.
Remove crust from refrigerator. Use fork tines to pierce crust in several places (bottom and sides). Spread quartered pecans on bottom of crust in a single layer. Pour pie filling evenly over the quartered pecans. Decoratively arrange remaining pecan halves over the top. Trim excess dough and crimp edges of pie crust.
Bake pie at 350°F (on the middle rack of oven) for 1 hour, or until firm/nicely browned on top. Crust should be golden/flaky. Let pie cool for an hour, before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Awesome Pecan Pie

Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/12th of total))

Calories 444 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 74mg25%

Sodium 233mg10%

Potassium 139mg4%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 35g39%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 401IU8%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

10
Nov
2020

Hot Spiced Apple Cider

categories: Beverages

29 Shares

Pin29

Yum

Warm up with a mug of “easy-to-make” hot spiced apple cider! It’s a delicious “family-friendly” drink to serve at any gathering or holiday!

For about 10 years, I annually hosted several Christmas parties in our home, some with over 100 in attendance, and another cookie exchange with anywhere between 10 and 20 co-workers. The desserts changed each year, but one treat I always made was a huge pot of Hot Spiced Apple Cider.

The first time I made it, I experimented with the ingredients (writing them down). It was such a hit, I made it the same way after that! I would cook a large double batch and leave it simmering on the stove, so guests could ladle up a steaming hot cup of spiced cider whenever they wanted.

Wow… the smell was amazing in our kitchen from the cinnamon sticks and other spices in that big old pot of hot apple cider. It was a popular spot in our kitchen. Today I want to show you how easy it is to prepare scrumptious hot spiced apple cider, whether it is for a small gathering with family OR a large group of friends. Here’s how:

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

Apple Juice or Apple Cider?

For this recipe I recommend using apple CIDER, as opposed to apple juice. Typically (in the U.S.), commercial apple juice is heavily filtered to remove all the pulp from the apples used. When using apple cider, you tend to have a much more dense apple flavor.

Cider is made with crushed or mashed up apples. This mixture is then hard-pressed (through cloth or commercial filters), which allows a little bit more of the flavor-filled pulp to remain in the “juice”, before it is pasteurized.

*My tip: If you only have apple juice… just go ahead and use it, but if you can, get apple cider (that’s the best tasting), to make hot spiced apple cider.

Making Hot Spiced Apple Cider Is EASY

Making this delicious apple cider is very simple! Pour a 64 ounce bottle of apple cider into a large stockpot (or Dutch oven). Add some orange juice, cranberry juice, sliced lemon and oranges, and a peeled/sliced apple to the apple cider. Throw in whole allspice, ground cloves, nutmeg and 2 whole cinnamon sticks to the pan. You can find whole cinnamon sticks online, in craft stores, and many grocery stores.

Stir to combine all the ingredients, and then turn the heat to low under the pan. Let the hot spiced apple cider simmer for 30 minutes or more uncovered, on LOW heat, so the flavors have a chance to “marry” and develop. Your kitchen should begin to smell quite nice as the cider cooks, and you can see just how easy it is to make! The recipe, as written, will make approximately 8-9 servings, and can easily be doubled.

Serving Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Once the cider has simmered for 30 minutes or more (and is steamin’ hot), ladle the liquid into serving mugs. It will be perfect just the way it is, but if you want to “garnish” the drink, add an orange or lemon wedge to the rim of the mug. You can even toss in a few raw cranberries and/or a cinnamon stick, if you want (it’s totally optional).

The cider should be served HOT, and I’m confident you will enjoy the warm, cinnamon, citrus and spice flavors in each cup. It’s a yummy taste of Fall, and is a traditional beverage in our home.

I hope you enjoy this simple beverage! For me, it just screams “FALL”. If you have leftovers, let the cider cool completely. Strain out the spices, citrus, cinnamon sticks, etc., and pour the leftover cider back into the bottle. Store in refrigerator safely for 3-4 days. Reheat leftover cider in the microwave, or in a pan on the stovetop.

Have a great day, friends. Thank you for stopping by, and I truly hope you will come back again soon.

Looking For A Few More Hot “Family-Friendly” Beverages?

You can find all of my beverage recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a few “family-friendly HOT beverages, 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 (1^st and 15^th) 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

0 from 0 votes

Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Warm up with a mug of "easy-to-make" hot spiced apple cider! It's a delicious "family-friendly" drink to serve at any gathering or holiday!

Category: Beverage

Cuisine: American

Keyword: spiced apple cider

Servings: 8 (1 cup servings)

Calories Per Serving: 119 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

64 ounces apple cider
½ cup orange juice
½ cup cranberry juice
1 medium apple (any variety) , peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
1 medium orange , thinly sliced (leave peel ON)
1 small lemon , thinly sliced (leave peel ON)
2 cinnamon sticks
8-10 pieces whole allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves , can substitute 4-5 whole cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
Cook on LOW heat (uncovered) for 30 minutes (or more) to allow flavors to fully develop. Once hot, ladle into mugs and serve. Garnish mugs of cider with fresh cranberries, orange or lemon wedges, or a cinnamon stick, if desired.
**Storing leftover cider? Strain out spices, citrus etc. Let cool to room temp. Pour liquid back into apple cider bottle, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Microwave or heat on stovetop to re-heat. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Note: The caloric content is based on the calories from apple cider, orange and cranberry juices, as all other ingredients are used for flavoring, and not consumption.

Nutrition Facts

Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 119 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 10mg0%

Potassium 272mg8%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 25g28%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 38IU1%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

06
Nov
2020

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

categories: Main Dishes, Pork

47 Shares

Pin47

Yum

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops are a cinch to make and bake! These tasty, juicy, boneless or bone-in chops are ready to eat in under 30 minutes!

Have some pork chops and are looking for a quick and EASY way to fix them? May I suggest these simply-seasoned pork chops? They are ridiculously SIMPLE to make, but have great flavor!

If you don’t have much time to fix a fancy dinner, these simply-seasoned pork chops are the way to go! Season them, and toss ’em in the oven until done. BOOM! A delicious main dish is ready to go in under 25 minutes! Here’s how to whip up this recipe:

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

Make The Spice Rub

Before making the spice rub, make sure to preheat your oven to 400°F. This recipe comes together quickly, so you want your oven to be ready. Now… on to the simple seasoning, which is a CINCH to make. Simply mix together paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and oregano in a small bowl. This is the spice rub for the simply-seasoned pork chops!

Prepare The Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Place the pork chops on a work surface. I use boneless pork chops for this simple recipe, but have included a cooking (timing) tip in the printable recipe card (below) in case you are using bone-in chops. Bone-in will take just a tiny bit longer to cook.

Drizzle HALF (1 Tablespoon) of the olive oil over the chops, on BOTH sides. Rub it in, to cover. Sprinkle the prepared spice mix over both sides of the pork chops. Rub the spice mix into the pork with your fingers and press to ensure it sticks to the meat. Make sure all sides of the meat are covered with spices.

Bake The Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Place the pork chops into a small baking dish that is just big enough to hold the pork chops in a single layer. Juice will tend to accumulate in the pan during baking. You want the meat juices to “pool together” so they don’t evaporate in a larger baking pan while baking. Drizzle the chops with the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil before baking.

Bake the pork chops at 400°F for 18 minutes, OR until they reach an internal temperature of 140° F. See my note in the printable recipe card below. Make sure to NOT overcook the chops, because that will dry them out!

When done, remove the pork chops from the oven, and let them REST in the baking dish for 5 minutes. They’ll continue to cook as they rest (safe internal temperature for pork chops is 145°F), and the juices in the meat will time to redistribute through the meat, for juicier chops. As you can see from the photos below, some juice from the meat has accumulated in the dish. You can use that, if desired, to drizzle on a veggie side dish OR as the base for a quick gravy, because it has GREAT flavor.

Time To Eat!

Once the simply-seasoned pork chops have rested for 5 minutes, they are ready to serve. Transfer to individual serving plates and serve with your favorite side dishes. We enjoyed the simply-seasoned pork chops with creamy mashed potatoes and baked praline acorn squash slices.

The pork chops were nice and juicy inside, perfectly baked, and had wonderful flavor. It was nice to enjoy such simple, tasty pork chops that didn’t require a lot of effort to prepare. Hooray!

I truly hope you will have the opportunity to make these delicious pork chops for yourself or those you love. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I sincerely hope you will come back again. Have a blessed day!

Looking For Other Recipes Using PORK CHOPS?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few pork chop recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/juicy-baked-pork-chops/

0 from 0 votes

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

18 mins

Total Time

23 mins

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops are a cinch to make and bake! These tasty, juicy, boneless or bone-in chops are ready to eat in under 30 minutes!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: simply-seasoned pork chops

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 285 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless pork chops (1¼" thick)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make Spice Mix: Combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and oregano in a small bowl.
Prepare Chops: Drizzle HALF (1 Tablespoon) of olive oil over chops, on BOTH sides. Rub it in, to cover. Sprinkle spice mix over both sides of chops. Rub spices into pork to ensure it sticks to meat. All sides of the meat should be covered.
Place pork chops into a baking dish just big enough to hold the chops in a single layer. Drizzle chops with remaining Tablespoon of oil. Bake at 400°F for 18 minutes (see note below), OR until they reach an internal temperature of 140° F. Make sure to NOT overcook them, because that will dry them out! When done, remove them from oven; let meat REST in baking dish for 5 minutes. They'll continue to cook as they rest (safe internal temperature for pork chops is 145°F), and the juices in the meat will time to redistribute through the meat, for juicier chops. After resting, they are ready to serve. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

BAKING NOTE: At 400°F, as a general guide, boneless chops should be baked approx. 6-7 minutes per 1/2" thickness (as thickness of chops will vary). Bone-in chops will require an additional 1 minute of cooking time per 1/2" thickness.

Nutrition Facts

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 285 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 90mg30%

Sodium 649mg28%

Potassium 567mg16%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 862IU17%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

02
Nov
2020

Lemon Parmesan Orzo

categories: Side Dishes

56 Shares

Pin56

Yum

Looking for an easy, light, yummy side dish your family will enjoy? Try Lemon Parmesan Orzo, (serves 4), and it’s ready in under 15 minutes!

We sure do love orzo. I try to always keep a box of it handy, because it is a simply made side dish that can be enhanced and flavored in many different ways. If you are unfamiliar with this rice-shaped pasta, you can learn more about it here.

Today I want to share with you a recipe I found in an old cookbook of mine from Southern Living (in a Christmas edition from 2006). It features orzo pasta, cooked in broth (for added flavor), then enhanced with lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, pepper and Parmesan cheese.

I adapted the original recipe slightly to make 5 servings. Lemon Parmesan Orzo tastes WONDERFUL, and is a big hit in our home, whether served with beef, chicken, pork or fish. Here’s how to make it:

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

Prepare The Orzo

Bring chicken broth to a full boil (on medium heat) in a large saucepan. Once boiling, add the uncooked orzo pasta, and stir it in.

Cook the orzo uncovered on medium-low heat for 9-11 minutes, until the orzo is tender, and the broth has been absorbed into the pasta.

Stir often while it cooks, so the orzo doesn’t “stick” to the bottom of the pan, as the broth is absorbed.

While The Orzo Cooks

While the orzo pasta cooks, prep the remaining ingredients. Just as soon as the orzo is finished cooking, these ingredients need to be ready to quickly add to the orzo while it is HOT.

Finely grate Parmesan cheese (fresh is best), melt the butter, and finely grate the lemon peel (zest), and measure out the fresh lemon juice. Have these ingredients close by, so you’ll be ready to roll when the pasta is finished cooking.

**To get the lemon zest: If you don’t have a microplane (seen below), grate the yellow peel of the lemon with the smallest opening on a box grater. Do not grate the white part of the peel, because it can be bitter.

Add Final Ingredients To The Cooked Orzo

When the orzo is finished cooking, the broth will have been fully absorbed, and it will be tender to the bite. Quickly add the remaining ingredients while the pasta is really hot.

Pour in the melted butter, followed by the lemon juice, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and the lemon zest.

Stir the ingredients in immediately, so the heat from the orzo melts the Parmesan cheese. When it’s fully mixed, and the cheese has melted, it’s ready to serve.

Time To Serve The Lemon Parmesan Orzo!

Once all the ingredients are combined, transfer the lemon Parmesan orzo to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.

If desired, garnish with a few lemon peel strips and fresh parsley (optional). Serve while hot, and enjoy!

We recently enjoyed lemon Parmesan orzo served as a side dish with grilled halibut with mango peach salsa, and some fresh green beans from our garden.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious side dish for your family or friends. It really is delicious, and I am confident it will be a wonderful accompaniment to many of your favorite meals.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you choose to come back soon. Have a wonderful day friends, and take care.

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can all of my side dish recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of them to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

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

Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: The cookbook “Christmas with Southern Living 2006”, published by Oxmoor House, page 28

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Lemon Parmesan Orzo

Prep Time

3 mins

Cook Time

11 mins

Total Time

14 mins

Looking for an easy, light, yummy side dish your family will enjoy? Try Lemon Parmesan Orzo, (serves 4), and it's ready in under 15 minutes!

Category: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon Parmesan orzo

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 210 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
5 ounces uncooked orzo pasta
1 Tablespoon butter , melted
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is best)
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons additional Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring chicken broth to a full boil (medium heat) in a large saucepan. Once boiling, add uncooked orzo, and stir. Turn heat down to medium-low. Cook uncovered for 9-11 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the orzo is tender, and broth has been absorbed. *While the orzo cooks, prep remaining ingredients.
When orzo is finished, the broth should be fully absorbed, and orzo will be tender. Quickly add melted butter, lemon zest and juice, grated Parmesan cheese, and black pepper while pasta is hot. Stir to combine, until cheese has melted.
Transfer orzo to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. If desired, garnish with a few lemon peel strips and fresh parsley (optional). Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Parmesan Orzo

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 210 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 17mg6%

Sodium 623mg27%

Potassium 183mg5%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 181IU4%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 135mg14%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

28
Oct
2020

Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts

227 Shares

Pin227

Yum

Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars are a yummy treat, with crunchy layers of puffed rice cereal, butterscotch chips, peanut butter and chocolate!

If you’re on the lookout for a great tasting dessert bar or snack, I would love to recommend to you these butterscotch fudge krispy bars! I first tried them over 25 years ago when my sweet friend Dawn made a batch and shared them with our family. After my first bite I was hooked! They are absolutely delicious (and addicting, I might add).

I finally got around to making and photographing these yummy bars again, to share her fantastic recipe on my blog. So I whipped up a batch, and “forced” myself to enjoy several of them… you know for “quality control”! Luckily for us (and our waistlines), our oldest son had evacuated to our home as a precaution during the recent Oregon wildfires, so he definitely helped gobble them up, too!

They are ALWAYS a huge hit, and I am happy to be sharing my friend’s easy recipe today. Here’s how to make ’em:

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

How To Make Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars

In a large saucepan, cook butterscotch chips and peanut butter on LOW heat only until melted, stirring continually. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour in the crisped rice cereal immediately.

Stir well, to combine the ingredients. The mixture will be THICK. Just keep stirring until all the rice cereal is coated. While the mixture is still warm, divide it in half. Press HALF of the mixture into a well buttered or greased dish (use 8×8 dish if making as written, or a 9×13 dish for a double batch). Keep the other reserved half of this mixture in the saucepan, at room temp.

Use the back of a spoon to firmly press the mixture down into the pan to form a solid, dense layer. Set the pan with the krispy layer into the freezer to chill and solidify while you make the chocolate fudge layer.

Make The Chocolate Fudge Layer

Now it’s time to make the middle chocolate fudge layer. Use a double boiler for this step. No double boiler? Do this: Place a small pan with the chocolate chips on top of a larger pan (half full of gently boiling water) on the stove. The small pan will “rest” on top of the lightly boiling water of the larger pan. Be careful not to let any water from the bottom pan get into the chocolate chips or they will “seize up” (not good).

Stir the chocolate chips until they have fully melted, then remove the pan from the heat. Once the melted chocolate is off the heat, quickly stir in powdered sugar, butter and then water. Stir well, to melt the butter, and continue stirring until smooth.

Layer Fudge Filling And Then Butterscotch Krispy Mixture

Remove the dish with the krispy layer from the freezer, and immediately spread the chocolate fudge over the top. Use the back of a spoon, knife, or offset spatula to evenly spread the chocolate to fully cover the bottom layer.

Now take the reserved butterscotch krispy mixture, and carefully spread it over the fudge layer, fully covering the chocolate layer. Press this layer together to form a firm top layer. Now you have three distinct layers of butterscotch fudge krispy bars! Place the bars into a refrigerator to chill, until firm (about 30 minutes or so).

Time To Eat Some Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars!

Once the butterscotch fudge kripsy bars are fully chilled and firm, they can be cut into portions for serving. Crunchy, sweet, and flavored with chocolate, butterscotch and peanut butter, you’re gonna love them, and might regret not making a DOUBLE BATCH!!

This is such a yummy dessert (or snack). It’s truly hard to not devour them all! The bars hold their shape really well, and have amazing flavor! Store any leftovers, covered, at room temperature. They do not have to be refrigerated after they have been cut, and will stay wonderfully delicious for days!

I sure hope you will have the opportunity to make this dessert. I can’t say enough good things about these treats… they are an all around family favorite! Thank you for stopping by my blog today, and I trust God will bless you and those you love.

Looking For More Bar Cookie Recipes?

You can find all of my bar cookie recipes (and other desserts) in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

Don’t Miss A Recipe!

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: my friend Dawn Lindquist

0 from 0 votes

Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Refrigeration Time (inactive)

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars are a yummy treat, with crunchy layers of puffed rice cereal, butterscotch chips, peanut butter and chocolate!

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: butterscotch fudge krispy bars

Servings: 16

Calories Per Serving: 204 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

6 ounces butterscotch chips
½ cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups puffed rice cereal , (i.e.) Rice Krispies

For Chocolate Fudge Layer:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 Tablespoon water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Layer #1-Butterscotch Krispy- In large saucepan, cook butterscotch chips and peanut butter on LOW heat until melted, stirring often. Remove pan from heat; add crisped rice cereal. Stir well, to combine until all cereal is coated. While warm, divide mixture in half. Press HALF of the mixture into a well buttered or greased dish, (setting aside other half of mixture in saucepan for later-Layer #3). Firmly press mixture down into dish to form solid layer. Set dish in freezer to chill/solidify.
Layer #2 Chocolate- Use double boiler OR place small pan with chocolate chips on top of larger pan (half full of gently boiling water) on stove. Small pan will "rest" on top of hot water in larger pan. Don't let water from the bottom pan get into chocolate chips. Stir chocolate until melted; remove pan from heat. Immediately stir in powdered sugar, butter and water, stirring until smooth. Remove dish with krispy layer from freezer; spread chocolate on top to fully cover.
Layer #3 Reserved Krispy Mixture- Take reserved butterscotch krispy mixture; spread it out to cover chocolate. Press krispy mixture together to form firm top layer. Chill bars in refrigerator until very firm (approx. 30 minutes).
Serve- Cut chilled bars into 16 servings (or 32, if doubling recipe), serve, and enjoy. Store leftovers (covered) at room temp.

Nutrition Facts

Butterscotch Fudge Krispy Bars

Amount Per Serving (1 bar)

Calories 204 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 129mg6%

Potassium 121mg3%

Carbohydrates 26g9%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 525IU11%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

24
Oct
2020

Scalloped Potatoes For Two

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

3.4K Shares

Pin3.4K

Yum2

Scalloped Potatoes For Two is an easy to make, delicious side dish, featuring golden potato slices baked in a creamy Parmesan/garlic sauce.

I don’t know about you, but we sure do enjoy potatoes! They are such a versatile veggie which can be transformed from simple and baked to other incredible tasting dishes like this one! These potatoes are simple to prepare, yet have wonderful flavor, and would be a great compliment to most chicken, beef or pork dishes.

I found the recipe on a desk calendar (for foodies) that our youngest son’s girlfriend gave me almost a year ago, and thought it sounded yummy. Yep.. it was, and now we enjoy this hearty side dish any time we want.

I want to share with you a wonderfully tasty recipe for scalloped potatoes for two, that my husband and I enjoy. Since we are “empty-nesters”, often I find that recipes (for 2) are the perfect solution for meals that are “just right” for us. This recipe is outstanding, and can be baked in mini 6 inch skillets (as shown) or in a small baking dish.

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

Make The Sauce

In small skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Once it has melted, add the minced garlic, and continue cooking (stirring constantly) for one minute on medium-low heat, just until the garlic is barely brown. Be careful NOT to overcook the garlic, as it can become bitter, if burned!

Whisk flour, salt and black pepper into the butter and garlic mixture, until the flour has been fully incorporated.

Drizzle the milk into the sauce, while whisking at the same time. Once all the milk has been whisked into the sauce, bring the mixture to a boil, continuing to stir as it cooks. Bring to a boil, then remove the sauce from the heat, and set aside. The sauce will have thickened slightly.

Assembling The Scalloped Potatoes For Two

Now it’s time to prepare the potatoes. I used some German butterball potatoes from our little garden. See how yellow they are? You can also use Yukon gold potatoes just as easily in this recipe. Yukon gold potatoes are more easily found in grocery stores.

Peel, then slice the potatoes thinly (1/8″ thick), and spread them out in a buttered or greased baking dish (or 2 mini-skillets). Pour the creamy garlic sauce over the top of the potatoes, dividing evenly between skillets (if using). Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Now it’s time to bake these little beauties!

Bake The Scalloped Potatoes For Two

Bake the potatoes (uncovered) in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes. Mine typically take right about 50 minutes, but oven temps can vary widely, so I recommend checking on them at the 50 minute mark. The scalloped potatoes for two are done once the surface is golden brown, potatoes are tender, and the sauce is bubbly around the edges.

Sprinkle the potatoes with chopped fresh parsley (if desired), and let the potatoes cool on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes before serving. You CAN serve them right from their pans (or mini-skillet) if desired, but I like to remove them for serving. If using mini-skillets, run a butter knife around the edges after they’ve cooled for a few minutes, then lift the entire serving out of the skillet, and transfer to plates.

Time To Eat!

You can see a single serving of the scalloped potatoes for two below, after being removed from the mini-skillet. If you’re careful, the entire portion can be removed in one piece! We enjoyed our scalloped potatoes served with garden cherry tomatoes, green beans, and awesome grilled pork chops!

The potatoes are scrumptious, creamy, tender, and full of flavor! We really enjoy this side dish, and sincerely hope you do, too!

Thank you very much for stopping by today. I hope you have the opportunity to try this delicious veggie side dish. Whether you cook them in cast iron mini-skillets or in a traditional baking dish, I am confident you will enjoy scalloped potatoes for two! I hope you will come back to this blog again soon. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More POTATO Recipes?

You can find all of my side dish recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several delicious recipes featuring potatoes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: The 2020 “Tasty App Desk Calendar” and tasty.co/recipe/

5 from 1 vote

Scalloped Potatoes For Two

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Scalloped Potatoes For Two is an easy to make, delicious side dish, featuring golden potato slices baked in a creamy Parmesan/garlic sauce.

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: American

Keyword: scalloped potatoes for two

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 346 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup low-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 medium Yukon or butterball potatoes , peeled
2 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
fresh parsley (optional, for garnish) , chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or butter small baking dish (or mini-skillets).
Melt butter in small skillet/saucepan. Add garlic; Cook (stirring constantly) for one minute on medium-low heat, just until garlic is barely browned. Don't overcook garlic, as it can become bitter, if burned! Whisk flour, salt and pepper into butter/garlic, until flour is incorporated.
Drizzle milk into sauce, while whisking. Bring to a boil, stirring as it cooks. Once it begins boiling, remove from heat; set aside. Sauce will have thickened slightly.
Peel, then slice potatoes thinly (1/8" thick); spread them out in baking dish (or mini-skillets). Pour sauce over potatoes, dividing between skillets (if using). Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake (uncovered) at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Check them at 50 minutes, because oven temps can vary. Potatoes done once surface is golden brown, potatoes are tender, and sauce is bubbly around edges. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with parsley (if desired); let potatoes cool on wire rack for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: You CAN serve potatoes right from the mini-skillets, if desired. To remove from mini-skillets, run a butter knife around edges after they've cooled a few minutes, then lift entire serving out of skillet; transfer to plates. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Scalloped Potatoes For Two

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 346 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 29mg10%

Sodium 1361mg59%

Potassium 1239mg35%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 339IU7%

Vitamin C 51mg62%

Calcium 233mg23%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

21
Oct
2020

Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

categories: Sauces and Dressings

137 Shares

Pin137

Yum

It’s easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.

Making homemade salad dressings at home is a simple way to most often save money, and KNOW exactly what is going into the finished product. Best of all, most homemade dressings are a cinch to make, including this Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing.

This light salad dressing is not only easy to make, it’s packed with flavor! I first tried it on a carrot salad, but have found the dressing is just as good on a mixed green salad. It has become a permanent member of the ol’ salad dressing rotation in our home. Here’s how easy it is to make:

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

What Is In Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing?

The recipe uses easy to find, common ingredients. The ingredients are extra virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, salt, honey, ginger, garlic and the juice and zest from one lemon.

How To Make Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

Making this salad dressing is simple and pretty straightforward. Measure all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE OLIVE OIL into a medium bowl. Stir well, to combine these ingredients. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking with a fork or wire whisk the entire time you are adding the oil. Pour oil with one hand, and whisk with the other!

Continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified. Emulsified means that the olive oil has been incorporated so well into the other ingredients that it doesn’t separate (kind of like oil and water).

And just like that, your lemon ginger salad dressing is ready! Serve it on your favorite mixed green salad right away, OR you can cover the bowl and store it in your refrigerator until ready to serve.

Once refrigerated, the olive oil will thicken up slightly, so take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving and whisk it, before drizzling it on a favorite green salad.

You don’t have to only use this salad dressing on green salads. Actually, one of my favorite ways to enjoy this dressing is drizzled onto a spiralized carrot salad. Wow… is THAT ever good!

I hope you enjoy this recipe for simple lemon ginger salad dressing. It makes a small amount (1/2 cup) of fresh dressing, but can easily be doubled. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you visit again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful day, full of adventure and possibilities!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find all of my salad dressing recipes in the Recipe Index, located in the MENU toolbar at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious ones, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2015/06/spiralized-carrot-salad-with-lemon-ginger-dressing/

5 from 1 vote

Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

5 mins

It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.

Category: Salad Dressing

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon ginger salad dressing

Servings: 6 (1 Tablespoon per serving)

Calories Per Serving: 86 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 large lemon (juice and zest)
1 teaspoon honey
1 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled, finely minced)
1 medium garlic clove (peeled, finely minced)
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE OLIVE OIL into a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking with a fork or wire whisk the entire time you are adding the oil. Pour oil with one hand; whisk with the other! Continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified.
Serve it right away, OR cover the bowl and store it in your refrigerator until ready to serve. Once refrigerated, olive oil will thicken slightly; take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving and give it a good whisk before drizzling it on your favorite green salad. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)

Calories 86 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 194mg8%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

17
Oct
2020

Sweet Spicy Salmon

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood

25 Shares

Pin25

Yum

Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.

I really think you’re gonna love this totally EASY salmon dish. It is so simple to prepare in only a few minutes, and then into the oven it goes.

The end result is a flaky and delicious, baked salmon fillet, covered in a “not too sweet and not too spicy” delicious sauce. YUM! This recipe as written serves two, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Basically you will lightly season the salmon, cover it with a simple flavorful sauce, bake it, and then put it under the broiler to crisp it before serving. Truly, it could not be any more simple than that!

We love salmon, and love this recipe for it, too, so I wanted to share it with you. Here’s how easy it is to make sweet spicy salmon:

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

Prepare The Salmon For Baking

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Line a baking dish (or small cookie sheet) with a large piece of aluminum foil. You will want the piece of foil to be much larger than the pan, so the edges can be turned up to “hold the sauce in” later.

Spray the foil lightly with non-stick baking spray. **NOTE: If doubling the recipe, you can use a rimmed cookie sheet to have room for the additional pieces of salmon.

Place skinless salmon fillets in the prepared dish, leaving about an inch between each one. Lightly sprinkle the top of the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper.

Drain pineapple rings, RESERVING THE JUICE FOR LATER. Slice pineapple rings in half. Place the halved rings around the long sides of the fillets, and in between the pieces.

Pull the foil up to “snuggle” the salmon so that any “runaway” sauce will be “held captive” in the pan, once added. Set the salmon aside while you make the sauce.

Make The Sauce

The sauce is a cinch to make. Place sweet Thai chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy), rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice (reserved from the can) in a small bowl. Whisk well, to combine the ingredients.

Spoon or pour the sauce over the top of each piece of salmon, to fully cover the surface of the fish. The foil will help “catch” any runoff sauce. Now the sweet spicy salmon is ready to bake!

Cooking The Sweet Spicy Salmon

BAKE the sweet spicy salmon, uncovered, at 425°F. for 12-15 minutes. This amount of time will vary due to the thickness of the fish YOU use. Check it at 12 minutes. The fish should be easily flaked with a fork when finished baking. Immediately switch your oven to the BROIL setting.

Place the pan under the broiler heating element. Broil the fish for 2-3 minutes or just until the top and edges begin to blacken and crisp up slightly. Remove the pan from the broiler.

If desired, garnish the salmon with chopped cilantro before transferring to serving plates. I recommend this, as the cilantro not only adds color, but additional flavor to this dish, as well.

Time To Serve The Sweet Spicy Salmon

Carefully transfer the sweet spicy salmon fillets (use a spatula) to serving plates when ready to serve. Place pineapple rings around the edges of the salmon. Spoon some of the sauce from the pan over each piece of salmon.

The salmon will be nice and flaky, and is so yummy I think you will gobble it up! You will also find that the fish (with the sauce) isn’t too spicy, after all.

The first time I made this dish, I thought it would be really spicy… NOPE! It’s perfect, and the sweet/spicy sauce compliments the salmon very well.

I really hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe for sweet spicy salmon. The recipe can be EASILY DOUBLED, and has a wonderful flavor.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a wonderful day, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and may God bless you and those you love.

Looking For More SALMON Recipes?

You can find all of my salmon recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few (we love salmon!), including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

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

Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original Recipe Source: Danelle, at: https://letsdishrecipes.com/sweet-and-spicy-pineapple-salmon/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Sweet Spicy Salmon

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.

Category: Entree, Main Dish, Seafood

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: sweet spicy salmon

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 335 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 6 ounce salmon fillets , no skin
salt/pepper, to season
4 canned pineapple rings , cut in half (JUICE RESERVED)
chopped cilantro (Optional, for garnish)

For Sauce:

¼ cup sweet Thai chili sauce (I used Mae Ploy)
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
½ Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
⅛ cup reserved pineapple juice (from can)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking dish (or small cookie sheet) with a large piece of aluminum foil (larger than pans so edges can be turned. Spray lightly with non-stick baking spray. **NOTE: If doubling recipe, use rimmed cookie sheet to have room for additional pieces.
Place salmon in prepared dish; leave 1" between each one. Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt/pepper. Drain pineapple rings, RESERVING JUICE FOR LATER. Slice rings in half. Place halved rings around long edges of fillets, and in between. Pull foil up to "snuggle" salmon so that any "runaway" sauce will be "held captive" in foil, once added. Set aside.
Make sauce: Place sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice (reserved from can) in a small bowl. Whisk well, to combine the ingredients. Spoon or pour sauce over the top of each salmon fillet, to cover surface.
BAKE, uncovered, at 425°F. for 12-15 minutes. Cooking time may vary slightly, due to thickness of fillets used. Check it at 12 minutes. The fish should easily flake with a fork when done. Immediately switch oven to the BROIL setting. Broil salmon for 2-3 minutes or just until the top and edges begin to blacken and crisp up slightly. Remove pan from oven. If desired, garnish each piece with chopped cilantro before transferring to serving plates.
Carefully transfer salmon (use a spatula) to plates to serve. Place pineapple rings around the edges. Spoon sauce from the pan over each piece. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Spicy Salmon

Amount Per Serving (1 fillet)

Calories 335 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 94mg31%

Sodium 529mg23%

Potassium 853mg24%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 68IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

12
Oct
2020

Frosted Pumpkin Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!

29 Shares

Pin29

Yum

Frosted Pumpkin Bars are easy-to-make delicious treats, with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, for a true taste of FALL!

I can’t say enough great things about these yummy pumpkin bars. They’re SO GOOD. I’ve made them for many years (over 20), since my good friend Carla gave me her recipe way back in October, 1999. This year I realized I hadn’t ever posted the recipe on my blog, so I whipped up another batch a few weeks ago, and took photos as I made them.

Our oldest son was staying with us for just over a week, because of the horrible Oregon wildfires and hazardous smoke that saturated our area. We have air conditioning/air filtering, and since he lived right at the evacuation zone, it was “easier for him to breathe” here. We were glad to have him here, so he could enjoy his “Mom’s cooking”, AND gobble up several of these frosted pumpkin bars.

They are ALWAYS a huge hit (especially this time of year), and are incredibly simple to prepare. Today I want to share the recipe with you, so you can enjoy them, too! Here’s how to make 16 frosted pumpkin bars:

SCROLL DOWN FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Prepare The Batter

In a large bowl, beat softened butter for about 30 seconds until creamy. Add granulated sugar, and beat until the mixture is rather “fluffy” (about 2-3 minutes). Add pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling), an egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat well, until fully incorporated. These are your “wet” ingredients for the pumpkin bars.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This dry ingredient mixture includes flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat until the ingredients are fully blended together. Now your batter for the frosted pumpkin bars is complete. Time to bake!

Time To Bake!

Evenly spread the pumpkin batter in an 8″x8″ greased or sprayed baking dish (bottom and sides). Bake the bars at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. You will know the bars are done when a toothpick inserted into the top center comes out clean.

Once done, remove the pan from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to let the pumpkin bars cool. Let the bars FULLY cool before attempting to frost them! Trust me on this – if you try to frost them too soon, the heat will melt the butter and cream cheese in the frosting, which is not good. Just be patient and WAIT.

Make The Frosting For The Pumpkin Bars

While the pumpkin bars are cooling, whip up the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and softened butter until fully combined. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar to the bowl, then beat on low, until smooth.

Once the pumpkin bars have TOTALLY COOLED, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the bars. Lightly sprinkle the frosting with ground cinnamon. Cover the pan, and place the pan of frosted pumpkin bars in the REFRIGERATOR to chill completely, in order to give the frosting time to firm up slightly.

Let’s Eat Some Frosted Pumpkin Bars!

After the frosting has chilled and had time to firm up a bit, slice the bars into 16 portions, and serve. Get ready to enjoy a yummy treat! The bars are filled with the flavors of Fall, thanks to the wonderful “warm” spices of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

YUM… they are soooo good. And the simple cream cheese frosting – don’t even get me started on that, cause I could eat it with a spoon! Store any uneaten frosted pumpkin bars, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, IF they last that long.

I really hope you will have the opportunity to try these absolutely delicious frosted pumpkin bars! They are a wonderful tasting dessert your family and friends will love. If you enjoy these pumpkin bars, be sure to check out my recipe for a pumpkin cream cheese roll! It’s a delicious and a beautiful dessert, that is perfect for the holidays.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Have a GREAT day, and may God bless you.

Looking For More BAR COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, delicious bar cookie recipes I think you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: my dear friend, Carla Merrill

0 from 0 votes

Frosted Pumpkin Bars

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Frosted Pumpkin Bars are easy-to-make delicious treats, with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, for a true taste of FALL!

Category: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: frosted pumpkin bars

Servings: 16

Calories Per Serving: 167 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

¼ cup butter , softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree , NOT pumpkin pie filling
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

For Frosting:

1½ ounces cream cheese (light)
¼ cup butter , softened
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter for 30 seconds until creamy. Add granulated sugar; beat until mixture is "fluffy" (2-3 minutes). Add pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Beat well, until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Add to the wet ingredients, and beat until fully blended. Spread batter in an 8"x8" greased or sprayed baking dish (grease bottom and sides).
Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. Bars are done when a toothpick inserted into the top center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven; place pan on wire rack. Let bars fully cool before attempting to frost them!

Make Cream Cheese Frosting While Bars Cool:

Beat cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl until fully combined. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Once pumpkin bars have TOTALLY COOLED, spread frosting evenly on bars. Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover pan, and place frosted pumpkin bars in the REFRIGERATOR to chill completely.
Once frosting firms up and bars have chilled, they are ready to serve. Slice into 16 bars, serve, and enjoy! Store leftovers, covered in refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Frosted Pumpkin Bars

Amount Per Serving (1 pumpkin bar)

Calories 167 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 28mg9%

Sodium 176mg8%

Potassium 45mg1%

Carbohydrates 26g9%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 1996IU40%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

09
Oct
2020

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

10 Shares

Pin10

Yum

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a delicious, flavor-filled side dish, and are a perfect choice for either a casual meal or a holiday feast!

I’m always looking for different ways to prepare green beans. Each summer I harvest a bumper crop of them in our little backyard raised garden. I can a lot of them, putting aside 15-20 jars each year in our pantry for the coming Fall and Winter. The rest we enjoy in a variety of different recipes as summer progresses.

We eat a LOT of green beans in the summer, and this recipe is one I came up with (after experimenting), and have enjoyed ever since. Lemon hazelnut green beans are a simple side dish, but let me tell you… there’s a LOT of flavor to enjoy in every bite. Freshly grated lemon zest adds a pop of fresh, bright flavor, shallots, garlic and red chili flakes give them a bit of zing, and the hazelnuts give the dish CRUNCH.

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a perfect side for any “average” dinner of beef, chicken, pork or seafood. “These beans plays well with others”, as they say. However, this dish would also be absolutely wonderful served for Thanksgiving, or any other special celebration. Here’s how easy it is to make them:

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

How To Make This Veggie Side Dish

Measure a Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet, and spread it around to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat the oil on medium heat. Once hot (but not smoking), add chopped shallots (milder than a red onion). Cook, stirring often for 1-2 minutes.

TIP: If you do not have access to shallots, use a yellow onion as a substitute (same measurement).

Cooking The Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

Add the green beans and the vegetable (or chicken) broth to the skillet. The liquid will steam and sizzle when it hits the hot skillet. Stir to combine, and let the green beans cook (uncovered) for approximately 10 minutes. When done, the broth should have dissipated, and the beans should be crisp-tender (not mushy).

NOTE: I recommend using FRESH green beans, without apologies. There’s just something about crisp FRESH green beans for this dish, versus using frozen beans. Just my humble opinion…

Immediately add minced garlic, red chili flakes, lemon zest, and roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts to the skillet. Give everything a good stir to incorporate all the ingredients.

TIP: The hazelnuts give the dish a nice crunch, which we really love. Remember- you can always substitute sliced, roasted almonds if hazelnuts are difficult to find in your area. They will add a wonderful crunch, as well!

Cook for about one minute, stirring OFTEN (so garlic doesn’t burn), until the lemon hazelnut green beans are fully heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Remove the skillet from the heat source, and transfer green beans to a serving dish.

Time To Serve The Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

As soon as you remove the lemon hazelnut green beans from the heat, it is time to serve them while HOT! Transfer everything to a serving bowl, and dish it up.** If desired, a simple garnish of a few roasted hazelnuts and some pretty thinly sliced lemon peel looks nice (but is totally optional).

The green beans have so much flavor, I’m confident you will enjoy them. The recipe makes enough for 4 side servings, but can be EASILY doubled! The lemon hazelnut green beans pair wonderfully with chicken, beef, pork OR fish, so it’s a versatile side dish for all occasions.

I really hope you enjoy this easy, but absolutely DELICIOUS veggie dish. Easy to prepare, and packed with bright flavors, you’re gonna love them. Have a great day, and come back for a visit again soon.

Looking For More VEGGIE SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find ALL of my side dish recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious veggie side dishes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

0 from 0 votes

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

Prep Time

12 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a delicious, flavor-filled side dish, and are a perfect choice for either a casual meal or a holiday feast!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon hazelnut green beans

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 120 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
1 pound green beans , trimmed/snapped or cut into 2" pieces
½ cup vegetable OR chicken broth
1 large clove garlic , minced
½ large lemon (ZEST OF) , zest only
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
3 Tablespoons roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts
salt & black pepper , to season to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure olive oil into a large skillet, and spread around to cover bottom of skillet. Heat on medium heat. Once hot (but not smoking), add chopped shallots. Cook, stirring often for 1-2 minutes.
Add green beans and broth to skillet. Stir to combine; cook (uncovered) for 9-10 minutes. When done, broth should have dissipated, and beans should be crisp-tender.
Immediately add garlic, red chili flakes, lemon zest, and hazelnuts to skillet. Stir, to combine. Cook for one minute, stirring OFTEN (so garlic doesn't burn), until beans are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with additional hazelnuts and thinly sliced lemon peel, if desired. Serve immediately.
TIP: Substitute sliced, roasted almonds if hazelnuts are difficult to find in your area. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 120 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 10mg0%

Potassium 307mg9%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 820IU16%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 51mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!