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Grilled Vegetable Panini

Who doesn’t love grilled vegetables in the summer time? Well, the veggie haters, of course. I love summer and all the produce you can find in the grocery store, farmers markets, and road side stands. Well, I have to be honest, here in Texas, we are a bit spoiled. We get awesome vegetables and fruits year round, for which I am grateful. And at a very affordable price. This scrumptious, (did I just say that?) and do people actually say that any more, Grilled Vegetable Panini recipe came from an idea I had when I entered a contest. It was a contest for sandwich recipes that included Wisconsin Cheese. I came up with three recipes and this was one of them.

The reason I love this recipe so much is that it is super simple but packed with so much flavor. It also is one of those recipes that will give you probably 3 servings of vegetables, easy. And finally, it can be used in so many ways…as a main meal, as a great lunch for work or at home and even an appetizer, if you cut the sandwich up into smaller portions.

So, what inspired me to create this flavor-packed panini? For starters, I love paninis. I own a great panini grill. Now, you don’t have to run out and buy one and you may be thinking that it is a waste of money to have an electric gadget just for making a sandwich. This one is awesome. You can grill sandwiches and make all those pretty grill marks on them. You can grill vegetables, meats, pretty much anything on it. And there is this great drip tray that catches any juices or other liquids that come off of whatever you are cooking. So back to what inspired me to come up with my recipe for Grilled Vegetable Panini. Bottom line, I love grilled or roasted vegetables. I probably make them three or four times a week, especially in the summer when you can get so many different varieties of squash, tomatoes, and other gorgeous veggies. So, I started with lightly seasoned grilled vegetables and paired them with cream cheese, pesto and mozzarella cheese. What really makes the sandwich come together is the grilling process of the sandwich. When you “grill” the sandwich, the cheeses melt and get so gooey. The aromatics from the cream cheese and the pesto flavor the vegetables perfectly, but don’t overpower, so you can still taste the freshness of the vegetables. That spells win-win! It ends up being like a grilled caprese salad, loaded with vegetables, in a sandwich.

So, I think the sandwich is perfect for summer, but can be enjoyed anytime using an indoor grill or panini press. I know you are all wondering, “Did she win the contest?” The answer is, sadly, No. If I had, I would have called this recipe Award Winning Grilled Vegetable Panini. But, that won’t stop me from creating, entering other contests, and sharing fun and delicious recipes with you. Happy grilling, happy summer, happy panini-making, from The Memorable Kitchen!

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Grilled Vegetable Panini

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Sandwich

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 4 pieces
2 thick onion slices (I used a sweet onion)
1 green or red pepper, cut in half
2 portobello mushrooms
6-8 asparagus spears, depending on the thickness
1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Italian Salad dressing or Balsamic Vinegar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (optional)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2-4 tablespoons prepared pesto (use Barilla brand)
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 T onion and chive cream cheese
4 slices Italian bread, flatbread or focaccia bread

Instructions

Brush vegetables with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and seasonings, if desired. Grill in fry pan, grill pan, barbecue grill or panini grill on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. In a frying pan or grill pan, turn after 2 minutes. Remove from grill, place on a plate.
Brush with salad dressing or Balsamic vinegar.
Lay out 4 slices of bread. Spread pesto on two of the slices of bread. Top those pieces of bread with the mozzarella cheese slices. Spread the cream cheese on the other two pieces of the bread. Fill bread, in layers with grilled vegetables.
Close up sandwich, brush the outside lightly with olive oil and place on grill pan or panini grill.
Grill on medium high heat for 5 minutes, turning if needed. Cut in half.

Note: You can use a variety of vegetables and substitute the ones listed for others that you would prefer...yellow squash, tomatoes, even toss in some spinach.

Baked Goods

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oh, there is nothing like a warm, soft cookie right out of the oven! We love our cookies! Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Snickerdoodles…shall I go on? I have to say, I LOVE baking cookies. I know for a fact, I bake at least 3 to 4 batches a week to feed my “Cookie Monster” husband, the troops at the USO and my coworkers. I think I have probably done this for most of my life. I just wish I would have kept track of how many dozens of cookies I have actually baked over the years. Maybe I will start tracking for a year and then just multiply it by the number of years I have consistently been baking. I know for sure there were the 30+ years in my past that I was baking for friends, neighbors, school events and any other excuse I could find to bake. That’s a lot of cookies! So, speaking of cookies, where did the inspiration for these Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies come from? I pretty much use one basic cookie recipe, but from time to time I like to mix up the add-in ingredients. So instead of just chocolate chips, I may add in toffee chips, or dried fruit or some other ingredient I think sounds yummy.

Well, this particular cookie came from the imagination of my daughter Alison. She is my youngest and quite often loved to join me in my baking adventures. So, this particular time, she had the idea to take my usual recipe and throw in some really decadent ingredients. Instead of just plain old semi-sweet chocolate chips, she decided to see what was in my baking stash in the pantry and add it into the batch of dough I had just made. So, we put in dark chocolate chips, YUM, white chocolate chips, double YUM, coconut, OVER THE TOP, and chopped pecans! STOP, can it get any better than this? Oh, yes. For the final touch she added in a teaspoon of cinnamon! Perfection! That is how this recipe for Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies…well, actually Coconut, Double Chocolate Chip, Pecan, Cinnamon Cookies came to be. You may not think that cinnamon and coconut would be a good combination. But, let me tell you again, it is perfection.

Baking has always been a fun past time in my kitchen. For me it is like therapy for the soul. Over the years I have loved sharing my passion for baking with my children. I truly instilled this love early in their lives and now I am able to share it with my grandchildren. There is something special about spending the time with my granddaughter and seeing her sweet face, as the creation she helped make, comes out of the oven, filling the whole house with its sweet aroma. And the hardest part is waiting for the cookies to cool!

I have always loved giving cookies to someone as a special gift. As a military family we often would take a plate of homemade cookies to a new neighbor, a friend at church or to the hospital where military members were staying. It became the heart and soul of my kitchen and a homemade gift that my children identified with. Now that my children are grown, I don’t have a lot of school bake sales or sporting events to bring cookies to. But, that doesn’t stop me. As I said, I love bringing dozens of cookies like these Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies to the USO when I volunteer or to work to share with all my friends.

I’d like to share with you some of the tips I have learned over the years for making the perfect cookie like these Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies. First, make sure that you use whole ingredients like butter, brown sugar and real vanilla. Mix with care. Don’t over mix your batter. But, do make sure you scrap the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or non stick cooking spray. This will ensure that your cookies don’t burn. I also love, love, love using Gold Touch baking sheets. You can find them at Williams Sonoma stores. I also bake my cookies at a lower temperature, 350 degrees. That also ensures that you will not burn them and ensuring that they come out a bit crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside!

So, thank you Alison for this incredible creation that I now a part of our cookie repertoire. I have always loved baking and cooking with you. Wish I could be with you on your birthday and give you a warm batch of these cookies to celebrate. Instead, I’ll be sending you lots of love! Everyone, bake up a special batch of these Chocolate Coconut Cookies for someone you love! It will be a gift from the heart! Happy Baking from The Memorable Kitchen.

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Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Baked Goods

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 3 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2½ cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
¾ cup sweetened coconut flakes
¾ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, white and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed with a mixer for one minute until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix for one more minute. Scrap sides of the bowl and mix for a few more seconds to insure all wet ingredients are combined.
Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to the wet ingredients. These can be combined ahead of time in a separate bowl and sifted if you like. I usually just dump them all in and mix them a little with a spoon before mixing.
On low speed mix the dough until just combined. You can finish mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula to ensure all ingredients are combined.
Stir in chocolate chips, coconut and pecans. Make sure to get down to the bottom of the bowl when stirring to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Drop onto prepared baking sheets with a medium scoop and place about 1 inch apart. On a half sheet baking pan, I usually place them 4 across and 3 down.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack. Repeat with the remainder of the dough. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.

Healthy Salad Side Dishes Uncategorized

Light Macaroni Salad

I have to admit, one of my fondest memories of summer were the trips I took as a child with my family. They were usually just short trips to the beach or somewhere close to home. One thing I especially remember about our vacations was how my mother prepared for the trips. She made sure we packed all the essentials as far as clothes, cosmetics, games and toys. But, what she was most remembered for, as far as I am concerned, was the picnic lunch she always packed. We were a family of 7 and going on any vacation was not cheap. So, my mom, as awesome as she was, packed the cooler full of lots of goodies. A trip was not complete unless there was a lots of fried chicken and my mom’s famous macaroni salad. It was a staple whenever we traveled. I loved her macaroni salad and it was the perfect side to her crispy fried chicken. As much as I loved it though, over the years, I have tried to lighten it up a bit. I think my recipe for Light Macaroni Salad still has all the flavor as mom’s, but by adding lots of veggies and cutting back on the amount of the dressing, it ends up being a much healthier option.

As I often teach in my cooking classes, to make a healthier version of a recipe, it is all about smart substitutions and a really good ratio of the food groups. So, traditional macaroni salad has about 60% macaroni, 30% dressing, and 10 % veggies. Yummy, great, loaded with flavor, but not necessarily the healthiest choice for a macaroni salad. So, how do we turn mom’s amazing macaroni salad into a Light Macaroni Salad?

First, I started with the usual macaroni, and of course, you can substitute whole wheat or gluten free macaroni. Then I added a variety of different vegetables; almost the same amount as the pasta in the recipe. So, with a salad made with 50% macaroni and 40% veggies, that leaves 10% for the dressing. I know, way too much math. An easier rule of thumb, make sure that any recipe is half vegetables and half all other ingredients like proteins, carbs and/or fats. This demonstrates how recipes can be updated without losing all the great flavor that the original recipes have. It is one of the best tricks to make your diet healthier…increase the veggies in any and every dish. I know, we often hear that we should be eating 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and often wonder, how in the world that can be done. But, just by adding some to your morning eggs, sandwich at lunch and your main dish at night, it it TOTALLY possible.

So, back to our Light Macaroni Salad. I started with, of course, macaroni. I love using Barilla brand pasta. The elbow macaroni especially is different from other elbows. It has little grooves on it like you see in many rigatoni pastas. What is the big deal about grooves other than making your dish “groovy”? (So bad!) Can you tell I grew up in the 70’s? Well, when you mix the pasta with the dressing, the grooves help soak up all the creaminess of the dressing. The pasta actually “holds on” to the dressing. Next, I add in lots of different, colorful vegetables…onion, celery, peppers, carrots, and zucchini. You don’t have to stop there though. Try adding cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and lots of fresh herbs. Now, when it comes to the dressing, I only use 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. Then, I thin it out with a little milk and give it a tang with some red wine or cider vinegar. The small amount of sugar gives a great contrast to the vinegar and balances the dressing out perfectly.

Serve this Light Macaroni Salad by itself on a hot summer day or with hot dogs and hamburgers at your next barbecue. My mom was an amazing cook and thinking of her wonderful dishes brings back such sweet memories of summer vacation and other holidays. I love the fact that I am able to take all the flavor of her recipes and lighten them up a bit, and making it with all the love she put into her cooking. Thanks mom for all the inspiration and incredible recipes you passed on to me. It makes my kitchen a living memory. With love from The Memorable Kitchen.

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Light Macaroni Salad

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Salad, Side Dish

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 7 mins

Total time: 27 mins

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

8 oz. dry macaroni (I used Barilla)
½ sweet onion, finely chopped
½ cup celery, finely chopped
½ red pepper, finely chopped
½ cup carrot shreds
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
½ cup mayonnaise (Hellmann's is the best in my opinion)
1 tablespoon 1% milk
1-2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Note--You can double all the vegetables for a greater nutritional value per serving

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package directions, about 7 minutes. I add about 1 teaspoon salt to the water before adding the pasta.
Drain the pasta and run cool water over the pasta until it is about room temperature. Make sure to shake out excess water. Place in a medium sized bowl. Add in the onion, celery, red pepper and carrots and zucchini.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar, salt, celery salt, and pepper. Pour over pasta and vegetables. Mix until pasta and vegetables are completely coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The salad is best if you make it the night before.

Baked Goods Holidays

Easter M&M Cookies

I love the holidays. I know I inherited this love from my mom. It didn’t matter what holiday was, she always made it SUPER special. From Christmas to Easter, Valentines Day to 4th of July, she made sure that my sisters and I knew the significance of the day. She also made sure that we would celebrate each holiday in a special way. Quite often that involved making crafts, presents, decorations, and of course, lots of fun food and treats. I guess that is why I LOVE making holidays special too. I love sharing many of the same traditions that my mom taught me about the holidays with my own children and grandchildren. And since I love baking and cooking, fun foods are always a part of my holiday celebrations. Easter M&M Cookies are just one version of a treat that I enjoy baking this time of the year. Since M&M’s come in so many flavors and colors now, the cookie possibilities are endless.

You just start with a simple, basic cookie dough recipe and start adding lots of different ingredients based on the season or holiday. Just imagine Pink Strawberry M&M’s in your Valentine’s cookies, Green Mint M&M’s in a chocolate cookie dough base for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration, or Orange Candy Corn M&M’s in your cinnamon cookie creation! Yum! A cookie for any and every holiday!

Now that my children have grown up and out of the house, I don’t have the school events and bake sales that I can take these holiday cookies too. But, wait, that doesn’t stop me from baking cookies like these Easter M&M Cookies any chance I get. Instead, I love spoiling my coworkers every chance I get and also the military troops at the USO when I cook for them. Since I have been doing this for 4 plus years, I can not imagine how many dozens of cookies I have baked! And that doesn’t even count all the ones from when my children were little! All I know is that I have had to buy bigger cookie sheets, more parchment paper, and I have worked on the cookie recipe, so that they are perfect every time. Well, except when I forget to set the timer!!!

So, I want to wish all of you a happy holiday weekend. If you don’t get a chance to make these Easter M&M Cookies, just buy the M&M’s on sale on Monday, and make some Mother’s Day Cookies in a few weeks. Or better yet, watch for the Red, White and Blue M&M’s, for your Memorial Day or 4th of July Cookies. Happy Holidays from the Memorable Kitchen.

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Easter M&M Cookies

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Baked Goods

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 13 mins

Total time: 23 mins

Serves: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavored extract
2½ cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1-12 ounce bag M&M's (I used pastel M&M's for Easter or other Spring holidays)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Note: Use different colored M&M's for other holidays.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, place the butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla extract. Beat and additional 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Add the M&M's to the batter. Using a medium stainless steal scoop, place on a cookie sheet prepared with parchment paper or cooking spray. Place the scoops 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes until slightly brown on the edges. Repeat with the remainder of the dough.
Let cool for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

Breakfast

Cora’s Homemade Granola

I have so much fun sharing recipes that were a gift from friends. Yes, I mean a gift in more ways than one. This recipe for Cora’s Homemade Granola was given to me by a friend when we lived in Northern Virginia, who was able to get the recipe from the Bed and Breakfast where it originated. She actually gave me and the other ladies in our Bible Study a beautifully decorated jar filled with this amazing granola one year for Christmas. So, you see, the granola itself was a gift, but then having her share the recipe was the second gift.

I consider recipes like this one for Cora’s Homemade Granola a gift because it is so special to the person who made it. There may be a story that is behind the recipe. Maybe a memory of a special vacation, event or holiday. Maybe a recipe that was passed down in someone’s family. Or maybe just a recipe that was found in a cookbook or magazine that has become a tried and true recipe. Yes, I do consider every shared recipe a gift. That is why I love passing them along to you.

Now, every time I make this recipe for Cora’s Homemade Granola, it brings me back to that special group of ladies and the Christmas we shared this wonderful granola. It also makes me automatically think of the years we lived in Virginia and the number of amazing small restaurants, country inns and bed and breakfasts that the state is known for.

This recipe for Cora’s Homemade Granola is so incredible because it is loaded with so many yummy ingredients like oats, seeds and nuts and kissed with a bit of sweetness from coconut and maple syrup. This recipe also makes a ton and is one of the easiest homemade food gifts to give year round. Oh, and I can’t forget, you can make the recipe and then freeze it, so you have homemade granola made all the time…ready to be given as a gift or for your morning yogurt or fruit. It can also be incorporated into other recipes like fruit crisps by combining it with some butter and using it as the crumble in the recipe. It can be used in recipes like my Ice Cream Cake by adding a crunchy layer between layers of ice cream, cookies and toppings. Or, just enjoy Cora’s Homemade Granola as a great snack or lunch box favorite. However you choose to enjoy this amazing granola, consider a gift that has been passed along to you. Happy Gifting from the Memorable Kitchen!

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Cora's Homemade Granola

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Breakfast

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 16 servings

Ingredients

5 cups rolled oats
1 cup graham crumbs
½ cup wheat germ or oat bran
½ cup flaxseed
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice or cinnamon
¾ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup dries chopped apricots, cranberries, cherries or raisins (optional)

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together except oil and maple syrup. Mix oil and maple syrup together in a small bowl. Slowly blend together with dry ingredients.
Lay out on baking sheets and bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir once more. Let cool in pans.
Once cooled, put in a large bowl and mix in any dried fruit of your choice.
Refrigerate or freeze to keep fresh.
Adapted from Robin's Nest Bed and Breakfast

Dessert Holidays Side Dishes

Cranberry Apple Casserole

Ok, this is one of those memorable recipes that a dear friend Kelly gave to me when we were here in San Antonio several years ago. She and her beautiful daughters were such an instrumental part of our lives as my girls became friends quickly with hers. God just loves to do that sometimes. Kelly was my rock while they lived here for a short time and we shared so many things. One Thanksgiving that we were able to spend together, she made this amazing Cranberry Apple Casserole. I was hooked. It is sort of a dessert, but can easily replace the usual cranberry sauce you have on your menu. I am so grateful for all Kelly shared and taught me over the years. Our friendship is still strong to this day, as we pick up right where we left off any time we are able to spend time together or just talk.

There is not too much that goes into this recipe for Cranberry Apple Casserole. It is super simple and it will be a sure hit at any holiday table. I love how the tartness of the cranberries compliment the sweetness of the apples and other ingredients. And the oatmeal adds an awesome crunch to the topping of this casserole. Again, it can be served as a side dish or dessert, depending on how you want to make it a part of your holiday meal. But, holiday aside, you can make this any time of year as a side to pork, poultry or beef.

From the Memorable Kitchen, this is one of those recipes that does not have to have too much explanation. It is a recipe from a beloved friend, who is etched in my heart forever. The recipe is just a small part of what Kelly brought to my life and still does. The cooking and recipes we have shared are just one aspect of what we share as friends. It is so much deeper than that, as too often she was my voice of reason, shoulder to cry on and Christian friend. I hope all of you have a Kelly in your life. It will change your world. Love and hugs from the Memorable Kitchen.

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Cranberry Apple Casserole

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Side Dish

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

3 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 can whole cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup Oatmeal
¾ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup all purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ - ½ cup butter, melted (1/2 – 1 stick)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together apples, cranberry sauce, 2 tablespoons flour and ¼ cup sugar.
Mix thoroughly and place in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Mix together oatmeal, pecans, ⅓ cup flour, brown sugar and melted butter, until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve as a side or dessert.
Adapted from a recipe by Kelly Walker

Main Dishes Side Dishes

Homemade Mac and Cheese

I first started making Homemade Mac and Cheese for my family years ago. Of course the little box with the bright orange cheese powder, you buy at the store, was always my kids’ favorite, but one day I decided to start making it from scratch for several reasons. I started making Homemade Mac and Cheese and other dishes in a effort to cook more at home as opposed to eating out, and I loved knowing where all the ingredients were coming from in my recipes. This recipe is also really quite simple to make and once you have mastered it, you will have lots of fun changing up the ingredients to suit your taste. You may even slip in some veggies that your family will hardly notice due to the yummy, creaminess of this incredible dish.

Now, there is more to this recipe for Homemade Mac and Cheese then it just being super delicious. It became a hit this past year at one of our USO Wellness Wednesday Cooking Sessions. Let me explain, if you are not familiar with the USO and Wellness Wednesday for that matter. The USO is the United Services Organization, that has centers all over the world for our military members’ rest and relaxation. A few years back a new USO Center was built here in San Antonio and I was fortunate enough to be a part of their program called Wellness Wednesdays. It is the day that my crew and I get to make homemade food for the troops and spend some special time getting to know them. Most of them are here in training and are far away from home. We love being able to share what we love doing and bring a little bit of home back to them. We call it Wellness Wednesday because we also teach them how to cook wholesome healthy food in their own home…Or the home they will one day have once they are out of the barracks. I think it is more like a “Mental Wellness Wednesday” as we get to share some home cooking and heartfelt gratitude for what they do.

So, this particular Wellness Wednesday I was fortunate to have a whole crew of people to helps me, and they were fantastic. There usually is a core group of about 3 cooks, but it often turns into a fun “family” of volunteers as many of us bring our friends to share in the experience. So, this Wednesday I had an awesome crew of ladies who were such a blessing and were so engaged in the mission of serving our troops. Some were seasoned cooks and others were beginners. I had the opportunity to teach one of our beginner cooks how to make this incredible Homemade Mac and Cheese. She did an awesome job and was so eager to serve it up to the troops. As she gave them there serving of her delicious dish, she also served lots of smiles and love. So, we lovingly renamed this dish, “Marry Me Mac and Cheese”, in honor of Sarah. We are not sure if it worked, but anyone who makes this dish is sure to have lots of good vibes as we made it with all the love in the world.

So, I know many people are nervous when it comes to making a bechamel sauce or cheese sauce like the one required for Homemade Mac and Cheese. There are a couple of tricks to making it work. Not too technical, but just some common sense tips. First, do not heat your butter and flour on too high of a heat. When you whisk in the flour, make sure your break down the flour against the sides of the pan and cook it about 1-2 minutes to ensure the flour is cooked down. Next, make sure you heat up your milk/half and half in the microwave. This allows the sauce to thicken quicker. And finally, use a good whisk. This is the major factor in the sauce. Most would think it is the ingredients, temperature or time. No, it is using a great whisk to mix all the ingredients.

Ok, last tip. If you do not think this dish has enough cheese in it, you have the option to put your Homemade Mac and Cheese in a baking dish, sprinkle it with additional cheese and bake it for about 15 minutes to ensure an extra layer of cheesy goodness on your plate.

So, what do you think? Did enough love and goodness go into this recipe? I truly think so. This dish has become a staple at the USO, as our young troops love it and it so reminds them of home. The other reason is that it brings together an incredible group of volunteers who love the mission and are so selfless in what they do. Some even work full time and on their days off, choose to volunteer for this mission. My heart goes out to my incredible core of volunteers, who put up with me each week, and give their heart. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are the best. In honor of USO Volunteer everywhere, the Memorable Kitchen sends you a special thank you and a huge hug!!!

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Homemade Mac and Cheese

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Side Dishes

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

1 lb macaroni or other shaped pasta
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick), plus 1 tablespoon
¼ cup flour
2 cups fat free half and half, heated in the microwave for 1 minute
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
8 oz each shredded mozzarella, smoked gouda, and sharp cheddar cheese
Milk or half and half for thining

You can use whatever cheese you like. Use all cheddar or mix it up with Pepper Jack, Cheddar Jack and other cheeses. These are just the ones I love.

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter on medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute, until smooth.
Stir in salt and pepper, garlic and onion powders.
Whisk in warmed half and half. Cook until thick and bubbly about 2 minutes.
Lower the heat to low and stir in cheeses. Cook until all cheese is melted.
Stir in additional milk or half and half as needed to thin cheese sauce, as desired.
Pour over pasta and combine.
If desired, pour into a baking dish and sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and pasta is bubbly.

Healthy Salad Side Dishes

Russian Bean Salad

So, if you are a foodie or someone who just likes to cook and try new recipes, you probably have your fair share of cookbooks, magazine clippings, and recipes scribbled on everything from scrap paper to the back of envelopes. Ooor, maybe that is just me. But, if I just described you in any sort of wonderful way, then we are in the same club together…the recipe collecting club. Now, getting back to the recipe books. How many of you have a certain recipe book that you only make one recipe out of? Yes, you heard that right, ONE recipe. Well, that’s me again. This is where my recipe for Russian Bean Salad steps in. Over the years as I worked to lose weight after having my 4 wonderful children…and then once I hit 50, trying to not gain any more than 10 pounds a year, I often found myself following the Weight Watchers program. Again, let’s get pack to Russian Bean Salad. So, of course being a foodie, but on Weight Watchers, and being a foodie, I would buy every stinking recipe book they had to offer. It was fine that I had to go to Weight Watchers, but there was no way that I was going to miss out on cooking and discovering new recipes. So one day as I was weighing in at a meeting, I saw, sitting on the table next to me, a recipe collection entitled, Around the World, (Recipes from Home and Abroad). I had to buy it. It was calling my name. It was a collection of unique recipes from all over the world and some great traditional make over recipes of American Classics. And that is where Russian Bean Salad became one of my favorite Weight Watchers recipes. So, as you can guess, this recipe ended up being the only one I ever used from that particular cookbook, but I am still glad that I purchased it so many years ago.

Now, mind you, I have been going back and forth to Weight Watchers since I was 12 years old. Yes, you read that right. I was overweight as a child and was very successful with the program way back in 19?? The program has changed over the years, and has been great for thousands, probably millions of people who wanted to lose weight. It sticks to the basics and gives great support through meetings and online access. I personally like that I have always been able to continue to cook great food through the help of their cookbooks. So, Russian Bean Salad has probably been one of my favorite Weight Watchers recipes over the years. One day I will share with you the recipes my mother cooked, (bless her heart), when the program included liver and 3 hot dogs as a meat serving. I still remember the Thanksgiving in, ok, I will say it, 1971 that she made the most amazing glazed carrots and savory green beans, all in line with the WW program. To this day, her love and support was the key to me losing the weight at the age of 12. And poor thing, she was skinny as a stick.

Alright, so back again to the Russian Bean Salad and what makes it so yummy? I think it is just the right combination of fresh flavors that come together in this salad. It is basically beans, peppers, onions, and a little cilantro. But, the kicker is the roasted tomato dressing! You literally roast tomatoes in the oven and combine them with seasonings in the blender and there you have it, an amazing salad creation, thanks to Weight Watchers! So, add this colorful, healthy salad to your fall table. I think it pairs well with any protein and it would be a great side dish at a Tailgate Party or back yard, cool weather barbecue. Enjoy, and you don’t even have to tell anyone it is from Weight Watchers! Happy, healthy cooking from the Memorable Kitchen.

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Russian Bean Salad

Author: Dianna from the Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Salad

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

2 small tomatoes, each cut into 4 wedges
Cooking Spray
½ teaspoon salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash of sugar
1 clove garlic
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
¼ cup minced cilantro
1-19 oz. red kidney beans, drained
1-19 oz. cannellini beans or other white beans, drained

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Place tomato wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat the tomatoes with cooking spray and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Place tomatoes, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, vinegar, broth, olive oil, mustard, sugar, and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl.
Add onion, bell pepper, ¼ cup cilantro, and beans to the tomato mixture. Toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Adapted from Weight Watchers Recipes

Dessert

Homemade Ice Cream Cake

June is such a great celebration month for so many people…Graduations, weddings, the start of summer vacation, and in our house, a birthday and anniversary on the same day. June 2 marks the day my husband and I graduated from the Academy (A-hem) a few years ago, our youngest daughter’s birthday and the day I launched my blog! It truly is our celebration day! That is why this recipe for Homemade Ice Cream Cake was a perfect way to mark the occasion.

Ok, I hope I did not mislead you with the title for my Homemade Ice Cream Cake. Yes, you do make it all in your own kitchen. Yes, it is an Ice Cream Cake. But, it does not involve making homemade ice cream, what so ever. I do hope that makes you smile. If you do want to learn how to make good homemade ice cream sometime, I promise, I will share that with you. But, for now, I am going to show you one of the easiest and fun ways to make a delicious Homemade Ice Cream Cake for someone’s birthday, your next barbecue, or just as a fun summer dessert.

This recipe for Homemade Ice Cream Cake was invented years ago when my youngest daughter, Alison wanted an ice cream cake for her birthday. Her birthday parties usually involved outdoor water play and nice cool refreshments, so this cake was perfect! For her ice cream cake she wanted specific flavors of ice cream and toppings which I could have requested at the local ice cream shop for them to make. But on this birthday occasion, I ran out of time to put in a specialty order. What’s a busy mom to do? Tackle it on my own, of course. So, I marched to the grocery store and picked out the perfect flavors, fillings, sprinkles and even some yummy cookies as the ingredients that would soon come together to make a gorgeous, sweet, cool dessert.

Well, the rest was history. After putting together all the sweet layers of ice cream, fillings, crushed cookies and extra goodies, it was a hit! Now, this is my daughter’s request for every birthday. Sometimes we mix up the flavors, sometimes we stay with her favorites. The beauty of this Homemade Ice Cream Cake is that with all the new flavors of ice cream, cookies, toppings, and candies, the sky is the limit on the combinations you can come up with.

My recipe for Homemade Ice Cream Cake is basically layers of chocolate, vanilla and caramel swirl ice cream, layered with Oreo’s and Milano cookies. The extra crunchies in between the layers are mini chocolate chips and Heath Bit O’ Brickle Toffee Bits. The toppings are chocolate and caramel. So, I guess it’s technically a Toffee Ice Cream Cake. But, again, the flavor combinations are endless.

This year when I went to make the cake I discovered so many new flavors of ice cream, not to mention all the yummy new cookie and candy flavors. I even came across some Cinnamon Bun Oreo’s…what??? You can get as crazy as you want to. Have fun combing the aisles of the grocery looking for the perfect combination of ice cream, cookies, candy and toppings for your perfect Homemade Ice Cream Cake. Be creative, have fun and enjoy making your own version of this super easy, no bake, summer-happy dessert. So, Happy Birthday to my Daughter and here’s to celebrating and sharing 3 years of recipes from The Memorable Kitchen!!!

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Homemade Ice Cream Cake

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 2 hours 30 mins

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

2 pints of Chocolate Ice Cream
2 pints of Caramel Ice Cream
2 pints of additional flavor Ice Cream (optional)
1 package Oreo Thins Cookies
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2-4 packages Pepperidge Farms Milano Cookies
1 bottle of Ghirardelli Caramel Topping
1 bottle of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
1 package Hershey's Mini Chocolate Chips
1 package Heath Toffee Bits (you can find these in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips)
1 small container Cool Whip Topping
Colored Sprinkles
Other Ice Cream Toppings to your liking (See Note)

Instructions

Crush 2 cups of the Oreo Thins (about ½ if the package) in a food processor or place in a large Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin. Combine with melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Chill for 10 minutes.
Soften one of the ice cream flavors for 20 minutes. Spread over the cookie crust. Freeze for at least one hour.
Crush one package of Milano cookies in a food processor. Sprinkle a thin layer over the first layer of ice cream. Sprinkle ½ cup of chocolate chips over cookies.
Soften second ice cream flavor for 20 minutes. Spread over cookie layer. Freeze for at least one hour.
Sprinkle another of cookies over ice cream and sprinkle ½ cup of Heath bits over cookies. Repeat with as many layer that your pan can hold, leaving ½ inch for whipped topping.
Spread Cool Whip over cake. Freeze for another hour.
Before removing from pan. Drizzle Caramel and Chocolate Toppings over cake. Top with candies or sprinkles.
Remove from pan and place on a decorative plate or platter. Place additional Milano Cookies around cake like a fence. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve.

Note: You can substitute Strawberry Ice Cream Topping, Chopped Fruits for Chocolate or Caramel Toppings. Try the following flavor combinations.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Bananas, Nutter Butter Cookies, Crushed Peanuts and Chocolate Chips
Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Mint Milano Cookies, Chopped Andes Candies, and Chocolate Syrup
Vanilla and Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, Graham Crackers, Strawberry Ice Cream Topping and Marshmallow Creme

Healthy Cooking Salad

Healthy Asian Ramen Salad

As we dive into summer, I want to share one of my favorite salad recipes of all time. The history behind this yummy salad goes all the way back to one of my first events I attended as a military spouse. Like most parties and get togethers, military families love doing pot luck’s. This always eases the cooking burden of the host and also gives everyone the opportunity to share their own favorite recipes. Well, this recipe for Healthy Asian Ramen Salad was originally known as just plain old Asian Ramen Salad, minus the Healthy. Someone brought it is a big bowl and quickly shared the recipe as we all swooned over it. It is a very easy salad that combines ramen noodles, cabbage, and onions in a dressing made using the flavor packet from the ramen noodles. The original recipe is so delicious, but it’s made with loads of oil and sugar.

Of course all the “naughty” ingredients that go into the salad are what make it so yummy. Through the years I found several different versions of the recipe in almost every military spouse recipe collection I came across. However, I never found a light version of the salad. So, I decided to come up with my own make over recipe for Healthy Asian Ramen Salad.

Some of the changes I made, in order to create a Healthy Asian Ramen Salad, were quite simple. I cut way back on the amount of oil in the dressing, eliminated the ramen flavor packet to cut down on the sodium, and instead added some extra flavor punches with vinegar, light soy sauce and spices. One spice I especially love is Asian Style Sprinkle that I order from Savory Spice Shop. I use it in all of my stir fry and other Asian recipes. Now, you don’t have to run out and order this spice blend to make the recipe. I gave you some substitute spices in the mean time. The next trick was to cut back on the amount of sugar and substitute with natural sugar from pineapple juice and honey. Finally, and I teach this in all of my cooking classes…add lots of extra vegetables and fruit to make any recipe better for you. I added extra of all the veggies from the original recipe and the addition of some new ones. You can go even further by adding edamame, celery, and water chestnuts…get as creative as you like. The more veggies, the better!

This salad is great if you make it ahead of time. The sweet and sour flavors come together so beautifully and the ramen, nuts and sunflower seeds add the extra crunch. So, enjoy this easy, fresh salad this weekend and with any of your picnics and barbecues this summer. Just another chance to enjoy a flavorful salad, that after a few tweaks, becomes a Healthy Asian Ramen Salad. Happy Summer and Healthy Cooking from the Memorable Kitchen!

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Healthy Asian Ramen Salad

Author: Dianna from The Memorable Kitchen

Recipe type: Salad

Prep time: 1 hour 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

2 small packages of ramen noodles
2 tablespoons light olive oil
3 tablespoons of rice wine or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
4 cups of coleslaw mix or shredded green cabbage
1 cup of carrot shreds
½ of an English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1- 20oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of the juice)
½ cup dry roasted sunflower kernels
1 cup dry roasted peanuts, slivered almonds or cashews

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take noodles out of the package and break up slightly. Discard the seasoning packets. Place ramen noodles on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes until slightly toasted, tossing every few minutes. Place in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds. See notes.
Combine the coleslaw mix, carrots, cucumber, onion and pineapple in the bowl with the ramen noodles.
Pour in the dressing and toss lightly. Add more dressing if desired. Chill for at least 1 hour.
When ready to serve, toss in the sunflower seeds and peanuts.

Note #1: This recipe is very light on the dressing. You can double the dressing portion of the recipe and add extra as you like. Use the remainder in other Asian Salad creations!

Note #2: You can substitute 1 tablespoon Asian Style Sprinkle for the garlic powder, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.