Getting smooth

So who doesn't love fruit.... and what better way to enjoy your fruits than in a smoothie. Especially when your kid won't eat fruit but he will drink a smoothie.... i mean really ??? So my favorite fruit period is a MANGO.... there not always cheap.... sometimes you can find them at the flea markets pretty cheap. My smoothies usually consist of a mango... then a few other fruits .... today were pear and strawberries .. mixed with a little ice and almond-coconut milk....

There great for the summer .... now lately I've been using ice , but another great idea is actually freezing your fruit first (this is great for really juicy fruit such as peaches and pineapples). Then you just use the frozen fruit instead of ice and add a little of your favorite juice.

Now as far as sweetening goes I try not to add sugar. Instead you can add honey , yogurt, agave or even cream of coconut .

Basic smoothie recipe

1-3 fruit(s)

ice

your natural sweetener

~blend and enjoy!

Chicken-N-Biscuit (1st Recipe)

Chicken-N_Biscuits

Ingredients

1T olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed

pepper

1 can (8.5 oz) reduced fat cream of celery soup

1/2 milk

1/2 pureed squash or carrot or pumpkin (your preference)

Biscuit

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

2 t baking powder

salt

1/2 c butter or margarine spread

1 large egg beaten

1/4 c honey

1/2 t cream of tartar

3/4 c buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Heat the oil in a pan and toss in chicken. Sprinkle with pepper and cook till it begins to brown. 4 to 5 mins. stir in soup milk and your vegetable. Remove from heat and pour into your baking dish.

Prepare your biscuits in a bowl. Combine flour ,baking powder and salt. Rub the butter into the flour. Add honey, egg, cream of tartar and buttermilk. Mix until soft dough forms. Dot over the chicken mixture. Bake for 20 ish mins. , uncovered until the biscuits are cooked through. Serve immediately.

*NOTES*

This is the original recipe without my changes .

Changes I made or would recommend are,

Cut the biscuit recipe in 1/2 as well

as cutting the honey amount in 1/2 too.

I also used cream of chicken soup and more ap flour than wheat.

I still used wheat but only 1/2 cup.

If you do not have buttermilk add a couple drops of lemon juice or some vinegar to your milk.

Hope you try and enjoy this recipe.

Rolling in the dough....

So I made orange glazed pork (pg 84 double delicious)the other day .... Involves pureed carrots(i should of cooked mine longer so they pureed smoother) .... I think cutting my garlic and ginger smaller so you didn't eat such big chunks we be a good idea. It was a great combination of sweet and spice....

Then last night for lent Friday I made Gnocchi (pg 99 double delicious). I have noticed in the past couple days of making theses recipes 1. I lack a certain utensil and 2. she doesn't use enough seasonings. So I lack a slotted spoon.... I mean really as a cook I would think I would own one But nope... So in the next week or so I will be buying one to lessen my kitchen flustration. So the gnocchi recipe didn't call for pepper but since me and Shawn like it I tossed about 1/8th tsp. in. Upon eating we decided it probably could use some form of garlic and more pepper. They were very good and SOOOOOOOO easy. I've made gnocchi for work before and they have to be the same size and everything . But when you make them at home they can range in sizes and it doesn't matter . Cuts the prep time down.

I will be getting recipes soon so everyone can try them.

Lets hit this ball out of the park

So tried the 2nd recipe out of Double Delicious. Creamy Chicken (page72). Overall I would say this recipe is very good. It needs a kick of something ....it was a little lacking in flavor... maybe some cheese or cayenne. We added pepper and soy sauce and still very good. Would highly recommend it . Tonight we are trying the orange glazed pork. I am very excited about this and I am about to head downstairs to make it. I will post the recipes for the meals i've tried soon. So that if you can't buy the book or check it out from the library you can still try them. Until then enjoy the fresh produce!!!!!!

New Cook Book

The other day something told me I should run into the thrift store for a look. I didn't have any intention of buying anything and then I found this book. I have been looking for a cheap copy of it since I found out about Deceptively Delicious and that she came out with another(Double Delicious). I think this was the best four dollars spent. That night I went through and tabbed all the recipes i wanted to try and counted them. Out of 80 recipes in the 1st book I want to try 20 recipes ( i have tried 4 or 5 of the already).... Out of the same number of recipes in the 2nd book i want to try Over 40 ... WOW, is the first thing I thought. I have such a hard time incorporating veggies into my meal and now I have all these recipes to try. Shawn even seems interested.

So a couple days after I purchased the book I decided to make the Chicken-n-Biscuits. Now with every new recipe I follow it as close to the recipe as possible. As a cook I tend to alter recipes to my liking. So Recipe on page 59 of the book. I altered 2 things I used cream of chicken instead of celery, and I used 1/2 c wheat to 1 c white flour instead of all wheat. I find using all wheat makes it to dry. So with said alterations this meal was DELICIOUS. However there are a few alterations I will defiantly make the next time . I would recommend halving the biscuit recipe. And half the honey in either recipe of the biscuits . I love sweet food but that much honey was seriously to much sweet. I am excited that I found something that both me and Shawn liked.

Today before my weekly trip to the grocery store we went through the book and picked out some recipes for the week. Out of 6 meals this week , 3 are out of this cookbook.

Now this blog isn't just about Double & Deceptively Delicious cookbooks. But about my recipe finds and tips n such. But I would highly recommend checking these books out from your local library or going and purchasing you a copy. ESPECIALLY if you and your kids have a hard time incorporating veggies into your diet. For now that is all!