Chicken Croissants and Spinach Salad

Chicken Croissant Sandwiches:

 4 Grilled chicken breasts

4 large croissants 

4 slices of swiss cheese
Romaine lettuce

tomatoes

honey mustard dressing

(Grill the chicken, add the honey mustard to the croissants, add the romaine and sliced tomatoes and enjoy.)

Honey Mustard:

2 c mayo

1 c mustard

1 c honey

Salad:
baby spinach

chopped apple

chopped Havarti Dill cheese

Craisins

Sugared walnuts

(I used olive oil and brown sugar and stir fried the walnuts until coated, let cool)

Maple Cider Vinaigrette:

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 c cider vinegar
1/4 c maple syrup

1 T lemon juice

1 clove minced garlic

1 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

It's what's for Dinner...and it was GOOD!

Happy eating!

Bon Bon

VEGGIE FAJITAS

I KNOW...brilliant, right?

What to do with all those veggies in the garden...I came up with these. Stroll out to your garden and pick some fresh veggies or drive to the local market and pick up some up.  Slice, dice and throw them into a heated skillet with some EVO.

Next...send your daughter outside to pick an avacado off your tree and slice it up.

Then pull out some wheat tortillas, sour cream and MJ cheese.  If I had some salsa verde, I would have pulled that out too.  (next time)

I like my tortillas slightly fried but you can eat them plain too.  Go with whatever you're feeling that night.  Slather some sour cream on the bottom and top with the veggies, cheese, avacado and salsa.  (if you are smarter than me and remembered to pick some up while grocery shopping)

I grilled some chicken for the chickens who didn't want their fajitas completely vegetarian.  Here is a fajita unfried with chicken.  It's just as tasty.

See?  She LOVED it!

Two thumbs up for dinner.

You're welcome.  Bon Bon

Moist Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I made this yesterday and it was SO GOOD!  I brought it to a luncheon with some friends of mine and even the kids couldn't get enough of it (along with the husbands).  It's super moist.  If you are tired of zucchini bread...try this.

Ingredients:
1/2 c butter

1/2 c applesauce

1 3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1/2 c buttermilk

2 1/2 c flour

4 T cocoa powder

1/2 t bp

1 t bs

1/2 t cinnamon

2 c shredded zucchini

3/4 c chocolate chips

Beat butter, applesauce and sugar well. Add in eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.  Mix well.  Sift in dry ingredients and create a batter.  Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour into greased cake pans.  Bake 325 for 30 min or so.  Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan.  Frost with chocolate frosting.

Frosting:
3 c pwd sugar

2/3 c cocoa pwd

1 t vanilla

1/3 c milk

1 stick butter

ENJOY!

Bon Bon

FRESH MOZZARELLA, TOMATO and BASIL SANDWICHES

Stevie couldn't wait long enough for the sandwich so I gave her the mozzarella, basil and tomato drizzled in balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil with salt and freshly crushed pepper.  MMMMMM!

 But if you are patient enough to wait the five minutes it takes to make these sandwiches, your mouth will thank you.  Here are the ingredients you will need:

 I bought italian bread and sliced it, brushed with olive oil and grilled the bread on my grill pan. (highly recommended)  Then placed one slice of garden tomato (thanks mom), a big leaf of basil, a slice of mozzarella and some pepper and salt.  See how excited Kayla is?

 These did NOT disappoint!  

Go pick some tomatoes and basil from your garden and
MAKE THESE TONIGHT!

Lovingly, BON BON

Ciabatta Bread

I LOVE Ciabatta bread.  It's my favorite.  It's probably just easier to buy it in the store but I promise you will NOT be sorry.  This is a great recipe with great results.  (Use for sandwich below) Ingredients:  For the Sponge  1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour  1 cup water  1/4 teaspoon instant yeast  For the Dough  Sponge (from above)  1 teaspoon instant yeast  1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour   1 1/2 teaspoons salt  1 teaspoon sugar  1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk  1/4 to 1/2 cup water  2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions: For the Sponge:  Mix the sponge ingredients, in a small bowl, until well combined. Let the sponge rest overnight, covered, or for up to 15 hours.   Place all of the dough ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer, and beat it at medium speed, using the flat beater, for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will never completely clear the sides of the bowl, though it'll begin to acquire some shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours; it will get very puffy. Transfer the dough to a well-oiled work surface. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet, and your hands. Using a bench knife or your fingers, divide the dough in half. Handling the dough gently, stretch it into a log about 10-inches long, and place it on the baking sheet. Flatten the log with your fingers till it's about 10-inches long and 4 to 5-inches wide. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. Lightly cover the dough with heavily oiled plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 1 hour; it'll become quite puffy. Oil your fingers, and gently poke deep holes all over the dough. Re-oil the plastic wrap, re-cover the dough, and allow it to rise for an additional hour.  Dust the dough very lightly with flour. Bake it in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven, throwing four or five ice cubes on the floor of the oven as you put the bread in. Allow the ciabatta to bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Turn off the oven, remove the ciabatta from the baking sheet, and return the loaf to the oven, propping the oven door open a couple of inches with a folded-over potholder. Allow the ciabatta to cool completely in the oven; this will give it a very crisp crust.

Bon Bon

Blue and Turkey Cafe Cobb

I love Cobb salad...it's one of my favorites.  This is a sandwich version.  You can alter at to your liking.  This is how I like it:

1 Tbsp. mayo 

1 Tbsp. Crumbled Blue Cheese

ciabatta roll

1 slice tomato

1/4 cup  shredded lettuce

4 slices  Deli Fresh Shaved Honey Smoked Turkey Breast

2 slices Bacon, cooked

1/4 cup  thin avocado slices

                                                                                         Bon Bon

CREPES

These are DELISH!!!

CREPES:

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

1/2 t. vanilla

dash of salt 1 T melted butter

1 cup flour

Blend ingredients. Heat frying pan to medium low. Spray pan with oil. Use 1/3 cup of batter and pour into the heated pan. Swirl around until pan is covered thinly. Flip after 45 seconds. Cook another 45 seconds. Remove from pan and let cool. Repeat. Serve with fruit, whipped cream, yogurt, powdered sugar...whatever floats your boat.

BON BON

Hawaiian Haystacks

I love this dinner as it is a wonderful blend of tropical ingredients that are better combined than alone. And, it's one of those dinners where no measuring is necessary!

Cooked rice to feed your family
Chicken in gravy to serve over rice

Toppings:
grated cheddar cheese
chopped green onions
sliced almonds
raisins
chinese noodles
coconut
crushed or tidbit pineapple

Enjoy! Chef S'more

CRUNCHY NOODLE SALAD

CRUNCHY STUFF:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sunflower seeds

4T butter

1 pkg. Ramen Noodles, crushed

(toss out flavor packet)

SAUTE above ingredients until browned.
(if made ahead of time, you can store it in a plastic container until ready to serve)

SALAD:

1 bunch broccoli cut into florets

1 head Romaine lettuce cut into chunks

4 green onions chopped

handful of sugar snap peas cut in half

DRESSING:
1/2 c. olive oil

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

3 T soy sauce

Mix ingredients and shake well.

Keep salad, crunchy stuff and dressing separate until ready to serve.

YUM to the 10th degree.

(and that's the truth)

BON BON

Apricot Honey Oatmeal

3-1/2 c. water

1/3 c. chopped, dried apricots (about 4)

1/4 c. honey

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

2 c. oats

Bring water, apricots, honey and cinnamon to a boil. Stir in oats; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook about 1 minute for quick oats or 5 for old fashioned oats. Cook until most liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand until desired consistency. Or, throw everything in a rice cooker, and wait for the button to turn yellow. I loved this recipe! It's very delicious. Don't be tempted to increase the water. The honey compensates for missing liquid. I really liked this recipe because everything came out of my food storage. How perfect is that! Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats ~ Chef Smores