Recipes – Page 39 – The Pajama Chef

Honey Cornbread

September 12, 2014November 22, 2016 Sarah

This cornbread is sweet, delicious, and honey-scented. You’ll want to make batch after batch to enjoy with your favorite soups and chilis this fall!

There’s nothing better than a warm slice of sweet cornbread! This easy recipe is my absolute favorite cornbread out there. It’s perfect with any dish, but I especially love it with my potato soup. Eating a slice hot out of the oven, slathered with butter and honey, is an experience unlike any other. Mmmm, I can almost taste it now. 🙂 I have no idea how many times I’ve made this recipe for a potluck or dinner with friends, but whenever I do, I always have to suppress the urge to hide a few slices away so I make sure I can have a few pieces leftover for breakfast. I can guarantee that when you take some to a group gathering you’ll be bringing home an empty pan! So you probably shouldn’t steal some from your friends, even though you might want to because it is that good.

The reason this cornbread is so darn delicious is that it’s cake-like. It’s moist and fluffy at the same time… utterly delicious! Even though it makes a huge pan, don’t think about halving the recipe. When I make this, if there’s any doubt that we won’t finish it in a few days, I just freeze individual slices in sandwich bags. Then I can easily throw a slice in my lunch when I’m taking some leftover soup and I can be a very happy camper at lunchtime! Enjoy!

four year ago: Tropical Granola

Honey Cornbread

Servings: 20
Time: 40 minutes
Print

from Money Saving Mom

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 1/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 cup cornmeal

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9×13 or 11×14 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Cream together sugar and butter. A stand or hand mixer works great, but so does a wooden spon. Add eggs, honey, and milk, then mix well. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and cornmeal. Fold dry ingredinets into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix–batter will be lumpy. Transfer to prepared pan, then bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm with butter, honey, and your favorite soup.

Linked up with Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friends Friday.

Breakfast, Main Dishes, Meat, Pork, Recipes

Sausage and Ranch Potato Skillet with Fried Eggs

September 10, 2014December 14, 2015 Sarah

This easy sausage and potato skillet is seasoned with a healthy herb ranch blend and topped with a fried egg, making it a perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner! Delicious!

I love skillet meals! One dish meals are seriously my go-to for weeknights. Less courses=less dishes=less clean up=more time to read on the couch/bake pumpkin treats/watch tv/brush our little spoiled cats or anything else my little heart desires. Usually my skillet meals include rice, pasta, or quinoa, and cheese. Always cheese! But sometimes you want something a little lighter and fresher. Not that rice or pasta dishes can’t be light, but you know what I mean, right? For me, the key to delicious light meals is lots of flavor. Like ranch! Mmm, ranch dressing. Whoever invented that stuff was a genius!

A few weeks ago, on a whim, I made a batch of healthy herb ranch seasoning and used it for some roasted potatoes alongside a little breakfast-for-dinner meal with cheesy scrambled eggs, oatmeal scones, and berries. Not that you’ll NEED extra ideas for using this ranch seasoning [I think it’s going to become a standard addition to my pantry] but let me just say that ranch seasoning on popcorn is amazingggg! Mmm, it’s 8 am and I want some ranch popcorn. Haha.

Now, that meal was good…but I had visions! Visions of a ranch-seasoned skillet meal with crispy roasted potatoes, crumbled breakfast sausage, bell peppers, onion, garlic, jalapeno and a fried egg on top! Well, my fried eggs are actually over-easy eggs but same diff. 🙂 I am happy to report that this skillet was everything I dreamed it would be… a fresh, filling meal full of ranch flavor AND the best part was that it’s healthy! That’s why I used that ranch seasoning blend… all the flavors of a hearty, creamy ranch without tons of salt, sour cream, or mayo. To make the potatoes super crispy I roasted them in the oven with some of the ranch seasoning, then tossed them with the sausage and bell pepper mixture after everything was cooked. Don’t forget the avocado on the side… a bite of creamy, cool avocado alongside this spicy ranch-y skillet is just divine! Enjoy!

P.S. Don’t forget about my giveaway for Healthy Solutions Spice Blends! Ends Saturday! 🙂

two years ago: Peach Ginger Pie
three years ago: Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
four years ago: Chili Burgers

Sausage and Ranch Potato Skillet with Fried Eggs

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes
Print

Ingredients:

1 pound red potatoes, cut into eighths [quarter, then half each quarter]
1 1/2 tablespoon ranch seasoning, divided [see below, or use your favorite]
cayenne pepper – optional
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound breakfast sausage
1 cup red onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced – optional
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 eggs
diced avocado, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss red potatoes in 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning, a sprinkling of cayenne, and olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fork-tender. I like to bump the heat up to 475 for the last 5 minutes or so of baking to get a nice crispy crust.

While potatoes are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon. Drain grease and return sausage to pan. Add onion, green pepper, red pepper, and jalapeno, if using. Saute for 10 minutes or until onions are soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Cover and remove from heat. When potatoes are done, add to skillet with sausage and vegetables and stir in remaining 1/2 tablespoon ranch seasoning.

Cook fried eggs to desired doneness, then serve a fried egg on top of each serving with diced avocado.

Healthy Herb Ranch Seasoning

Servings: 1 cup
Time: 5 minutes
Print

from Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar, optional
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar and shake to combine. Store covered until ready to use.

Can combine with 1 3/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt for a ranch dressing/dip; just mix well and thin with milk or buttermilk to reach desired consistency.

Linked up with Weekend Potluck.

Desserts, Other, Recipes

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

September 8, 2014September 7, 2014 Sarah

This pumpkin pie spice is the perfect seasoning for all of your fall baking. Be sure to check out my secret ingredient that gives it a special POP. 🙂

Before last fall, I swore by store-bought pumpkin pie spice. Specifically, from Trader Joe’s. But then I ran out and didn’t have time to drive across town to my friend the Trader. Soooo I made my own. Let me confess, I was scared I wouldn’t like it. But guess what! I did. And now I won’t go back to the store-bought stuff.

My special blend of pumpkin pie spice has all the usual suspects–cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger… and when you’re measuring them, it smells like the essence of fall in your kitchen. Nothin’ better! I’ve spent some times playing around with the ratios of spices and have deemed this recipe my favorite for now. 🙂 But wait… there’s more! I added a lil secret ingredient to give this pumpkin pie spice blend a special pop, a little wow, a big bang, a bunch of deliciousness to all your pumpkin goodies: dried lemon peel! It’s just a tiny amount in the grand scheme of this spice blend, but it adds some citrusy zing that elevates the flavor so much. I will tell you that my buddy the Trader did add lemon peel to his pumpkin pie spice first, but I’m glad I could capitalize on that success. Thank goodness for ingredient labels! 🙂 You can find dried lemon peel in the spice aisle, but I will warn you it’s a little pricier than most spices. However, a little goes a long way so it will last. If you have cardamom I’m sure that would be a good addition too.

I keep this pumpkin pie spice in a small mason jar in my spice cupboard all year long and add it to anything and everything that can use some fall spice love: pumpkin quick breads and desserts of every kind, of course, but also oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce, and even on toast [a la cinnamon toast]. Some of my favorite pumpkin recipes include: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins, Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Frosting, and Pumpkin Brownies. To see all my pumpkin recipes, click here. I’ll be adding many more this fall so stay tuned! You’ll want a jar of this stuff in your pantry to enjoy the deliciousness. 🙂

one year ago: Pumpkin Coconut Soup
two years ago: Iced Tea with Ginger-Mint Simple Syrup
three years ago: Pumpkin Granola
four years ago: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Time: 5 minutes
Print

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
1/2 tablespoon allspice
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried lemon peel

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine.

Use in anything and everything this fall–breads, pies, muffins, cakes… yogurt, applesauce… the possibilities are endless!

Breads, Breakfast, Recipes

Healthy Crumb Topped Zucchini Bread

September 3, 2014September 13, 2014 Sarah

This soft, tender zucchini bread is my master recipe! It comes out perfect every time and is simply the best.

Everybody has their favorite zucchini bread recipe, and this is mine. I’ve been making it for 5 years now and it comes out perfect every SINGLE time. Before Ben and I starting dating in 2008, I hadn’t ever had zucchini bread. It sounded so weird to me, but Ben grew up eating it in the summers and introduced it to me at one of our favorite coffee shops. And the rest, as they say, is history. My love for Ben and my love for zucchini bread will never die! 🙂 Anyways…. this is a pretty simple recipe with walnuts and just a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to spice things up, but the crumb topping makes it extra special.

If you look at this loaf of bread, and compare it to my recipe below, you’ll notice that A) there are no nuts [I was out] and B) there’s no oats in the crumb topping. Oops. Just disregard that, and make as written below. It’ll be awesome, I promise. When I made this I had some leftover crumb topping from a pie in the freezer, so I used that topping instead. OH! Speaking of pie, I almost forgot to tell you what makes this bread healthy. Well, I’ve healthified the original recipe by cutting the sugar wayyyy back from 1 cup of each white and brown sugars, and using some whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. It’s crazy to me how tender this zucchini bread is even when using whole wheat flour. I hope you give this bread a try to use up zucchini over the last few weeks of summer! Enjoy!

two years ago: Chocolate Mousse
four years ago: Bestest Pizza Sauce Ever

Healthy Crumb Topped Zucchini Bread

Servings: 12
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Print

adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil – canola or coconut, melted to liquify
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2-3 cups grated zucchini, about 1 medium – do not drain, the excess water adds the moisture that this recipe requires
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped – optional

for crumb topping

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Grease and flour an 8×4 or 9×5 loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugars. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine. Fold in zucchini and nuts gently.

Spoon batter into prepared pan.

To prepare crumb topping, stir together oats, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Pour in melted butter and stir with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Spread over batter. Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 55 minutes is perfect for my oven. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes, then remove bread from pan and cool completely before slicing.

Linked up with: Foodie Friends Friday, Weekend Potluck.

Appetizers, Recipes

SRC: Corn Flakes Chivda, a Sweet + Spicy Snack Mix

August 31, 2014November 14, 2014 Sarah

This Indian snack mix is full of nuts, raisins, and corn flakes. It’s sweet, spicy, and oh so delicious!

Normally I deliberate a bunch on my Secret Recipe Club recipe selection. Not this time! I was assigned to Trisha’s lovely blog, My Hobbie Lobbie. Trisha lives in Sydney, Australia but she moved there from Mumbai. Consequently, her blog is a huge treat of international cuisine! Mainly Indian food, of course, but she has traveled all over and has tons of fun recipes to share. When perusing her blog, one of the first things I was drawn to was this savory snack mix that used cornflakes! I love cereal and just thought it sounded delicious. I didn’t want to be too hasty, so I did consider other things like Homemade Mayonnaise, Samosas, and Crushed Black Pepper Crackers. But in the end, Corn Flakes Chivda drew me in, mainly because I was looking for an excuse to hit up one of the [many] international markets in Nashville.

One of the best things about living in Nashville is the abundance of international groceries and markets. I always say I’m going to check them out, but you know how things go… when you’re busy, you just hit up the local Publix or Kroger. It’s just easier. So I make myself go to these places but picking recipes to make for blog events that REQUIRE a specialty store. Sometimes it stresses me out, but it’s always worth it! So Saturday, Ben and I headed to our favorite local Turkish restaurant [Istanbul Cafe, for local folks] for lunch and then headed to the Indian grocery down the road. It was so fun, and this snack mix is well worth the effort required to get any ingredients you may not regularly purchase.

Ben and I are now totally addicted to this snack mix. In fact, I’m crunching on some right now. It’s sweet with a little bit of spice. It’s not spicy hot, but if you don’t want any heat I’d just leave out the cayenne powder. Trisha’s original recipe includes several types of chiles, but I only decided to use the cayenne. This snack mix is her husband’s favorite, and it’s a great recipe to change up based on your family’s preferences. I used cashews, peanuts, raisins, and chana dal as Trisha’s recipe stated, but you could use your imagination to choose whatever dried fruit or nuts you like. It was pretty cool to read this recipe at the Indian grocery and compare it to the selection of snack foods they sold. There was totally a cornflakes-based snack mix there, and I made my own at home! The one component of this recipe I had to change up was using curry powder instead of curry leaves. I wasn’t able to find any of those, but if you can, use ’em! This came together in a flash, and I’m sure I’ll be making it again soon!

Corn Flakes Chivda

Servings: 6
Time: 15 minutes
Print

from My Hobbie Lobbie

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/3 cup roasted chana dal [dalia]
1/3 cup cashews
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 cups cornflakes
2 tablespoons superfine sugar [or granulated sugar, pulsed in a food processor]

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let sputter for a minute or so. Add chana dal, cashews, and peanuts and saute for another minute or so.

Add raisins and cook for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle curry powder, turmeric powder, and cayenne powder on top and stir to combine. Slowly add in the cornflakes, tossing gently to combine. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with sugar.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes: amounts of nuts, raisins, and seasonings are totally flexible! Adjust to your liking and consult Trisha’s original recipe for more suggestions.

Be sure to check below for other recipes made by fellow SRC members this month!