Blueberry Syrup

One of my first ever posts here was about my favorite homemade pancakes, and the theme of pancakes and waffles comes up occasionally in this blog... which made the fact that I ran out of maple syrup (practically a Canadian standard) even more sad. 

The budget is tight lately and I have been heavily using web couponing, half-priced and reduced price items to fill the gap, and needless to say, with money low, maple syrup is one of the luxuries that went first. 

However, all is not lost.  I have a bounty of on sale frozen blueberries in my freezer, and since I don't want to give up my pancakes any time soon... I have patched a good blueberry syrup recipe out of two different ones I found in web searches.  It's probably healthier for me and the little guy anyways...

Blueberry Syrup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries

3 tablespoons of organic cane sugar (or honey, maple syrup, xylitol or reg. sugar)

1/2 cup of orange juice

1 tablespoon of cornstarch (can be omitted if you prefer)

 Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix 1 1/2 cups blueberries, sugar and 1/4 cup orange juice. Bring to a boil while stirring and mashing in the blueberries.   
in a small bowl, mix the remaining orange juice and cornstarch, and stir that into the blueberry mixture. 
Keep stirring until thickened, and serve warm.  Store unused tightly wrapped in the fridge.  Use your own judgement, but I wouldn't keep it more than a week just to be safe.  This recipe could probably be canned to keep it longer or give as a gift to friends and family with some homemade pancake mix.


Original recipes:


Blueberry Syrup - Food Network 
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/blueberry-syrup-recipe/index.html

Blueberry Waffles with Fast Blueberry Sauce - Allrecipes
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/blueberry-waffles-with-fast-blueberry-sauce/Detail.aspx

KD of the week: 14K Mac 'n Cheese

14K Mac 'n Cheese

1 package of Kraft Dinner or similar macaroni and cheese

1 jar or pureed carrot baby food, or puree your own carrots to taste

2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Directions:  Prepare macaroni and cheese, stir in pureed carrots, top with Parmesan to serve.  I opted for jarred carrot because it is quick and easy, always available and won't over-power your dish with a carrot-y taste.  Good for children, if they hate veggies, they would barely notice, and you could make it with whole wheat KD or that Smart KD, for extra healthy stuff. 

As always with KD, the more cheese the better, so feel free to add a slice, or some grated to it and mix over low heat till blended for a more cheesy experience. 

KD of the week: Macaroni Bake

KD of the Week:  Macaroni Bake

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground beef (or for me I would substitute either veggie meat, TVP or ground chicken)

1/2 cup  chopped onion 

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce 

1/3 cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided 

1/4 tsp. Ground cinnamon 

1/8 tsp.  Ground nutmeg 

1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner 

2 Tbsp.  Butter or margarine 

2 Tbsp. Flour 

1-1/2 cups  Milk 

2 Eggs, lightly beaten 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown meat or heat veggie substitution for meat; drain. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in tomato sauce, half of the Parmesan cheese and spices; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Prepare Kraft Dinner as directed on package. Spread mixture onto bottom of 9-inch square baking dish; top with prepared KD. 

Melt butter in medium saucepan on low heat. Blend in flour. Gradually add milk; cook on low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir small amount of hot mixture into eggs. Return to remaining hot mixture in saucepan; mix well. Pour over KD; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. 

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Original recipe found here:

elbow macaroni

 

 

KD of the week: Fiesta KD

  

For those of you who are waiting for me to do something other than the KD of the week, never fear, I am working on a few things, but this time I want to try them first instead of putting more stuff on my 'wish list' in this scrapbook-type page I have here.  There is nothing wrong with my wish list, its just that sometimes you can tell when something will taste good, and other times when its better for me to be the guinea pig... and then if it is horrible I will still tell you all about it!  

 For the time being though, here is this week's Kraft Dinner recipe.

Fiesta KD

This recipe is very similar to Mexican KD, but has it's own merit to stand alone as a recipe.

1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner (or any kind of KD like substance)

1 lb.  lean ground beef (or substitute with TVP, veggie meat, ground chicken, or even omit entirely)

1 large Green pepper, chopped 

 

1 pkg.  (10 oz.) frozen corn, thawed 

 

1 cup Thick and Chunky style Salsa 

 

(optional)  1/2 cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes

 (optional)  a shot or two of hot sauce or a can of chopped jalapenos for spicy lovers

 Directions: 

Prepare in large saucepan as directed on package, cooking Macaroni for just 8 min. 

Meanwhile, brown meat(or prepare substitute) with green pepper in skillet; drain

Combine meat(or substitute) mixture, corn and salsa to prepared KD; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Add chopped fresh cilantro to this dish just before serving.

Kraft Dinner of the Week: KD Taco Bake

KD Taco Bake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner (or any KD or KD substitute)

 

1 lb.  Ground beef or beef substitute (like veggie ground round or TVP)

1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix 

 

3/4 cup Sour Cream 

 

1-1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided 

 

1 cup  Thick 'N Chunky Salsa 

 

 

Directions:

  Heat the oven to 400°F. Prepare Dinner as directed on package. While Macaroni is cooking, cook meat (or meat substitute.) with taco seasoning as directed on package.

 Stir sour cream into prepared Dinner; spoon 1/2 into 8-inch square baking dish. Top with layers of meat mixture, 1 cup cheese and remaining Dinner mixture; cover with foil.

Bake it for 15 min.; top with salsa and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until cheese is melted.


Original recipe found here:

KD of the week: Mac and Cheese Lasagna

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (7-1/4 oz.) Kraft Dinner 

1-1/2 cups  Spaghetti sauce 

1/2 lb. lean ground beef  (or substitute 1 cup chopped leftover cooked chicken or 1/2 pkg. of veggie ground round)

1 cup  Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese 

2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350°F.
PREPARE Dinner, using the Light Prep directions on package. Meanwhile, brown meat in skillet; drain.
SPOON half the Dinner into lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; top with layers of half each sauce, meat and shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.

Original recipe found at link below:

Kraft Dinner of the Week: Souped up KD

Souped up Kraft Dinner

Sorry for the delay in KD recipes,  with the husband getting over illness, baby with pinkeye and myself catching said illness the husband is getting over, I am afraid that my thoughts have been towards soup instead of KD.  This, however, makes this KD recipe more appropriate than ever being about soup and all.

PREPARE 1 package Kraft Dinner as usual, replacing the milk with 1 can (10oz/284mL) tomato soup, and 1 soup can of water.
HEAT.

That wasn't so painful.  Found that 'recipe' at Kraft Canada.

KD of the week: Mac and Cheese Pizza

Mac and Cheese Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 (7 ounce) box macaroni and cheese mix, prepared according to package directions
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• any other favorite toppings you have, my man likes pineapple and chicken on his pizza

Directions

1. Mix prepared macaroni and cheese with eggs and put into a greased 9-inch x 13-inch pan.

2. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

3. Top with the tomato sauce, basil and oregano.

4. Then add the rest of the ingredients.

   This recipe would probably go well into packed lunches and seems pretty kid-friendly too.  Pizza is a fairly universal food and even in mac form should please most people.
   I had seen the basic idea for this recipe in many places long ago, but this recipe has been adapted from the one I found here:
   http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Pizza-with-Macaroni-Crust-64329

Vegetarian Barley and Mushroom Stew

^  Barley and Mushroom Stew ^

This is a hearty vegetarian stew that looks amazing, and I want to make it.  I had to post something meatless to take the thought of the last post out of my mind, lol.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 red potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths (about 2 cups)
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup pearled barley *Tip: Make sure you buy pearled barley, with the husk removed.
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 cups vegetable stock
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)



Add hot water to cover porcini; set aside.
Heat oil on medium-high heat in large pot; add onion, carrot, celery, potatoes and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables brown, about 12 minutes.  Drain porcini, reserving liquid, and chop. Add fresh and reconstituted dry mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add barley and cook, stirring, until shiny and coated. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper.  Add vegetable broth to porcini soaking liquid to make three cups; add to stew. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; turn heat down so stew barely bubbles. Cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring once or twice
Serve with chopped parsley if desired.
Makes four servings.


Found recipe at:http://www.thestar.com/living/article/543177 From Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

My Favorite Pancakes

This is the recipe I adapted years ago to my tastes in pancake fair.  My husband loves them because they taste more like a waffle than a pancake.  He normally hates pancakes, so I take it as a compliment.  Enjoy.

My favorite Pancakes
_________________
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups flour
3 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. sugar (preferably cane sugar)
2 tbsp. ground flax seed
1 egg
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tbsp. melted butter or veg. oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 tsp. vanilla ( I add a bit more, about a cap full)
Margarine or butter for frying
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl, beat egg, add milk. Make well in centre of dry ingredients; slowly add egg-milk mixture. Add melted butter or oil. Stir quickly till just mixed and batter is still lumpy in appearance. Drop batter onto hot pan or griddle (on my electric stove the best tempurature is about 6 or med. high) to desired size of pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top and golden brown on bottom, then flip and brown on other side.
You can add a couple of handfuls of chocolate chips to this, or fruit and or nuts if you want a variation. My husband says it tastes more like waffles than pancakes, but that is what we like about them. This is a variation of the five roses cook book pancake recipe, over time I have just adjusted it to my tastes ;)