Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf (or muffins, etc.)

I made this tonight (via a pinterest recipe) and it was DELICIOUS and sooo pretty!

Thought you girls might like the recipe!

recipe website

Ingredients:

For the Loaf:
1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed
For the Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
For the Lemon Glaze:
1 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.
To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Recipe Notes:
This recipe will also yield about 12 standard muffins or 36 miniature muffins, baking time adjusted.
It could be doubled and baked in a well-greased and floured bundt pan, baking time adjusted.
This recipe could also be baked in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round, to create a thin cake (approx. 1 1/2 inches tall), baking time adjusted.

Broiled Salmon with Rosemary & Spinach/Garlic Couscous

Got this recipe off SkinnyTaste website, but I tweaked it some. It has now become one of my favorite salmon recipes. I like salmon, but I have a hard time preparing it that it doesn't always end up tasting the same! I thought the Rosemary in this added a great flavor & pairing it with the garlic couscous made it really great. Super healthy and easy meal--definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:
3-4 pieces of salmon
olive oil spray
2 TBS melted butter
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh, chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced (I also added a little extra garlic powder to final mixture)
S&P to taste

Directions:
1.Combine melted butter with lemon juice, rosemary, s&p, garlic and/or a little extra garlic powder or garlic salt to taste.
2. Brush mixture onto fish
3. Broil for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.
May test halfway through cooking & gently turn fish over. Continue cooking until no longer pink inside.

Side dish: I found Roasted Garlic&Olive Oil Couscous in a box (the 5 minute prep kind). I prepared that. I also sautéed some fresh spinach in a skillet in a little olive oil with some garlic & adding a little garlic salt on top. When the spinach was wilted down & the couscous was done, I tossed them together. My kids even loved it!

Oven fried Ritz/Yogurt Chicken

Got this out of my 4 Ingredients cookbook and have made several times. We're having it tonight for dinner in fact--decided I would share since it's so easy, yummy & relatively healthy! :)

Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 box of Ritz crackers (I buy the Fresh Stacks Whole Wheat Ritz & only use 2 small sleeves)
1/2 C of yogurt (I use the 16oz container of organic greek yogurt, but always have a lot left over)
S&P, garlic salt, etc. season to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. S&P, garlic salt, etc. season your chicken to your liking
3. Dip in yogurt & roll in cracker crumbs
4. Place in casserole dish & bake for 30 min on each side

Mexican Cornbread

Here is Trent's mom's recipe for Mexican Cornbread. Made this over the holidays with our tamales.
Trent raved about it (I think I might try it next time without the bacon drippings)

1Cup yellow cornmeal
2 eggs well beaten
1Cup milk
1/2 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 can cream style corn
1/4 Cup bacon drippings

Mix all above ingredients & set aside.
Saute 1/2 lb. ground beef--drain
1large chopped onion
1/2 lb. grated sharp cheddar cheese
2-4 chopped jalapeño peppers--seeded & deveined

Mix with other ingredients; heat 2 iron skillets w/oil & sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the bottom. Pour batter in & bake at 360 degrees for 45-50 min. Or until it is done.

Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Found this recipe on "our best bites" website. We think it's a keeper! 

Ingredients:

1 lb. thin sliced steak

butter or cooking oil

1 green bell pepper

1 medium yellow onion

provolone cheese

s&p, garlic salt

hot sauce (optional: like tabasco, Cholula or Frank's Red Hot, etc.)

mayo (optional)

4-6 hoagie rolls

Directions:

1. Slice steak into thin strips (or however you prefer it sliced) & season it up (I used s&p and garlic salt)

2. Slice bell peppers & onions

3. Heat oil or butter in skillet, add the steak and stir fry

4.When meat is about half cooked, add peppers & onions. Stir occasionally cooking until meat is cooked through & onions/peppers are soft

5. Season with a little hot sauce 

6. Place this mixture inside open faced hoagie roll & top with provolone cheese

7. Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is slightly toasty 

8. Add a little mayo to the bun if you like

Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This reminded me of California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ pizza, but we liked it better because the flat bread kept it from being so filling (we like thin pizza crust anyway)! This is definitely now on the top of our make-again list!

Wanted to have a visual on the exact ingredients I used!

Ingredients:

whole wheat tortillas (or flat bread)
cooked, chopped boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used 1 pkg of boneless, skinless ckn tenders)
BBQ sauce
Shredded cheese (the original recipe called for Gouda, but I used the kind in picture above)
red onion, thinly sliced & cut in slivers
fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. I seasoned my chicken tenders w/ s&p, garlic salt and brushed them w/BBQ sauce, baked them for 20 minutes & shredded them beforehand
3. Place tortillas on pan (I used my pampered chef bar pan, but you could use a cookie sheet...may need to spray it first?)
4. Spread a little BBQ sauce all over the tortillas (use this instead of pizza sauce)
5. Toss shredded chicken with a little more BBQ sauce; divide chicken among tortillas and sprinkle each with cheese & onions.
6. Bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts & tortillas are lightly browned.
7. Remove from oven & sprinkle with the cilantro.

Baja Taco Blitz

This is a Weight Watchers recipe so it's healthy and yummy! I tweaked the recipe slightly (mainly I seasoned the chicken with the same ingredients from the Pioneer Women's Chicken Tortilla soup recipe) it makes the chicken taste divine! This is a great keeper! I served pinto beans as a side.

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic pwd
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili pwd
olive oil
boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
corn tortillas
sliced onion
sliced bell pepper

optional toppings:
sliced avocado
fat free sour cream
shredded lettuce
shredded fat free cheddar cheese
salsa
fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a small bowl mix the first 4 ingredients/seasonings. Place chicken on a bar pan or some other type pan that has a ridge (so chicken grease won't drip off). Drizzle the chicken tenders with olive oil then sprinkle the entire bowl of seasonings over the chicken--tossing to ensure they're fully coated.
Bake the tenders for about 15-20 minutes until no longer pink.

3.  While chicken is baking saute the bell pepper & onion; place to the side after cooking.

4.  Remove chicken from oven, allow to cool & then shred/cut into bite size pieces.

5. In the same skillet used for onion & bell pepper--add a little olive oil and heat on low heat.
Place a corn tortilla in skillet and cook, flipping gently, occasionally until tortilla is soft. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

6.  Fill each tortilla with the chicken, onions/bell pepper & toppings of your choice.