Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Almond Joy Pudding

I had nearly forgotten about this until my crazy-cool sister requested it. It's a very filling snack, and for all my WW peeps: it's a filling food when you use fat free milk and sugar-free pudding mix. I am not a huge fan of coconut myself, but still like this pudding.

The title of this post is the sanitized name of this dish. Bevvy and I like to name things after how they look, hence its real name: dog shit pudding. Enjoy!

2 cups milk
1 tsp coconut extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 package chocolate or fudge pudding mix
1 cup quick oats, uncooked

Put everything in a large bowl and whisk until thick, about two minutes. Spoon into four dishes and chill for at least an hour. This pudding is even better the next day.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Homemade Play Dough

This takes a bit of muscle near the end…don’t double the recipe.

3 cups flour (all-purpose or bread)
1½ cups salt
6 tsp cream of tartar (can be found in bulk stores)
3 packages Kool-Aid mix (for color and scent)
3 cups cool water
3 tbsp oil

Combine first four ingredients in a large saucepan. Add water and oil.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when dough pulls away from sides and can be pinched without sticking (about 5 minutes).

Turn out dough and knead until smooth.

Store up to a year in airtight container.

Note: if dough becomes sticky while in storage, knead in a bit of extra flour.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Tuscan Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese

I love goat cheese, and so does the kid, which makes this salad an easy way to get the greens in. This tangy salad is an easy quick-fix on a warm day.

These quantities are for one lunch-size serving. Omit the chicken and increase the cheese for two side-servings.

1½ to 2 cups romaine lettuce or romaine-iceberg mix, torn bite-size
3 tbsp sliced roasted red peppers, drained
1 tbsp julienne oil-pack sun dried tomatoes, drained
½ oz (about 1 tbsp) firm goat cheese, crumbled
3 to 4 oz cooked chicken breast, sliced
2 to 3 tbsp Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing

Gently toss all ingredients together and serve immediately.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Cheddar Scones

Dished up to the ladies at Coffee Morning last month. Cheesy tastiness.

2 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup cold salted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup grated old (sharp) cheddar
1 egg, beaten well
⅔ cup milk (whole is preferred)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Grease baking sheet, or line with parchment or silpat.

In a large bowl, blend together first four ingredients. Using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut in butter until crumbly (pea-sized). Stir in cheddar. If your kitchen is warm, stick the whole thing in the fridge for a few minutes to cool down.

Beat the egg and stir in the milk. Make a well in the center of the four mixture and pour in the milk. Gently mix together with your fingers until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead about a dozen times, until dough is slightly elastic. Take care not to over-knead the dough as this is what can kill its tender crumb.

Divide dough into two flat rounds and then score tops into six pie pieces each, or use a muffin scoop to drop large biscuits onto baking sheet. Brush tops with extra milk, if desired.

Bake for 15 minutes until risen and tops are lightly browned. Serve warm.

Make ahead: freeze scones after shaping on baking sheet. Once frozen, cover with plastic. Thaw in fridge overnight before baking. Add a few minutes to your baking time when baking directly from the fridge.