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May 6, 2017

Got 3 Hours? Make These Easy Pickles.

Best Refrigerator Pickles Recipe

I found some beautiful fresh Persian cucumbers yesterday and made a full jar of my 3-hour bread & butter pickles. Today, there’s only half a jar left. You can make pickles using the traditional small Kirby cuces but Persians work just fine too, and they are available all year round. Mediterranean markets usually have the best ones. So today’s lunch will be a salmon sandwich on my multi-grain no knead bread with a bowl of these refrigerator pickles on the side, and a whole wheat double chocolate chip cookie for dessert. I should have just enough homemade pickles left for tomorrow. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Snacks/Misc, What I Cooked Today
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Apr 26, 2017

Blasted Chicken is So Easy

Simple Easy Roast Chicken RecipeIf you think roasting a whole chicken is a lot of work, I am about to change your mind. Roasting it at a higher temperature for a shorter time produces beautifully tender meat with absolutely no work at all. This method has been around for years, usually called Blasted Chicken, and it is incredibly easy. There is no basting, no trussing, no rubbing with butter or oil, and with me, no spices except salt and pepper, although you can tuck in a piece of lemon, garlic, or your favorite herb if you like.

I don’t even wash the chicken, just bring it to room temperature and pat it dry. I like to make this on Friday so we have leftover chicken to snack on, or for chicken paninis. You can roast this chicken on a baking pan but I prefer a broiler-style pan to draw away the fat and I always use a disposable one. I did not invent this method but I want to make sure everyone has this easy recipe for blasted chicken.

I serve it by removing the skin and then cut or tear the chicken into big pieces. There is no easier way to roast a chicken and my way means no cleanup. Gotta love that! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Main Dishes
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Apr 11, 2017

Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Easy Stove Top Mac & Cheese RecipeIf you ever need fast comfort food, this is it. Today I made my quick and easy mac & cheese and it was ready in 20 minutes. With only four ingredients, it’s pretty hard to mess up, and I use low fat milk and cheese so I don’t feel guilty about enjoying this American classic. Plus I always serve it with a green vegetable on the side. Sometimes this simple mac & cheese becomes a side dish to some chicken and salad. Even though it’s a quick stovetop recipe, you can also bake it in the oven for a crispy top. Here’s how I do it:

While I prepare the recipe on the stove I preheat the oven to 375.  Once the stovetop version is done I stir in some chopped & drained fresh tomato (this is optional) and I transfer it all to a greased 3-quart casserole dish. I top it with a cup of fresh breadcrumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes for a golden, crispy top. You make fresh breadcrumbs by processing a couple of slices of white or soft whole wheat bread in a food processor.

Whether you need a quick 20 minute recipe or you prefer a creamy mac & cheese with a crispy top, either way you’ll get a much healthier version of almost everyone’s favorite comfort food… macaroni and cheese. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Main Dishes, What I Cooked Today
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Apr 6, 2017

Dark Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Dark Chocolate Chunk BlondiesEasy desserts are my favorite thing and when they’re fast, it’s even better. My blondies, made from scratch,  are ready in 30 minutes. Most other recipes use a stick of butter and sometimes two but I only use 3 tablespoons of butter and they are delicious. Of course, the darker the chocolate chips the better for your health so I buy the darkest I can find but I have also made these blondie bars with a 70% chocolate bar. I just chop some of it up into pieces and they become my chocolate chunks.

My favorite nuts for blondies is pecans but you really must toast them first. Of all the nuts used in baking, pecans are the most fragrant after they are toasted. You can see my video on how to toast nuts under the Videos section. I always try to make my desserts as healthy as possible and this one works well with half whole wheat pastry flour and half all purpose flour. I wasn’t sure what to call them. The long name would be “Quick & Easy One Bowl Chocolate Chunk Toasted Pecan Blondies.” Too much? Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

Filed Under: Sweets
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Mar 31, 2017

Make No Knead Bread in 2 Hours!

Fastest No Knead BreadI’m so excited to share this way of making no knead bread even faster than my “faster no knead bread” recipe, which takes over four hours. And that was fast compared to the original overnight method, which took over 12 hours. But now, I am making it in two hours! This recipe uses the same ingredients as my original loaf but with more yeast. Instead of 1/4 teaspoon, I use 2 teaspoons (one packet) of instant yeast.

Most bread connoisseurs will agree that the longer the dough rests, the better flavor the bread will develop. This is true but I don’t care. Some days I want bread and I want it fast! Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Breads/Muffins
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Mar 16, 2017

My Spicy Vegetarian Mexican Casserole

Easy Mexican Food RecipeI love this simple vegetarian casserole. It’s a healthier  way to enjoy Mexican food because it uses fresh tomatoes, whole wheat tortillas. I use my own homemade tortillas, the whole wheat version, and they turn nice and soft in this dish. I wanted to try it with store-bought tortillas but could not bring myself to buy them after reading the ingredients. If you make the tortillas ahead of time this meal can be made in about 45 minutes.

If you like things super spicy, you can switch from jalapeño pepper to a spicier one like serrano or the super hot habanero. For me, the jalapeño version is perfect – not too spicy at all. And I always say it: don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It will never melt like fresh cheese because they add some type of stabilizer to the pre-shredded kind. It takes less than a minute to shred six ounces of cheese. I always serve this dish with a little sour cream on the side. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Main Dishes, Vegetarian
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Mar 15, 2017

Gluten Free No Knead Bread – Does it Work?

No Knead Gluten Free BreadDoes gluten-free no knead bread work? In my opinion… no. I’ve been asked so many times about it I decided to try it. I bought some gluten-free flour and followed my recipe for Faster No Knead Bread. The dough was stickier than my regular recipe and I did not think it would bake up well at all. But to my surprise, it did bake into a round “boule.” So it looked pretty good but how did it taste?

The loaf was smaller and heavier than my original, and when I sliced into it, the inside was dense and chewy, without the traditional big holes and it didn’t taste anything like the original recipe. The texture and taste were disappointing to me and nobody else wanted to eat it either. So I hope my little experiment helps answer this common question: Can you make gluten free Dutch oven bread? I say you can make it but you won’t like it. There are plenty of gluten-free bread recipes out there but I do not recommend this one. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Breads/Muffins
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Mar 8, 2017

Bran Muffins for Breakfast

Homemade Bran Muffins

I made bran muffins today and was going to have one for breakfast. I had two. I’ve never been able to eat just one even thought they have a lot of fiber. There’s something so tasty about the combination of molasses, cinnamon, and vanilla, especially with a glass of cold milk. There are a lot of reasons to eat fiber. It can reduce blood pressure and inflammation, as well as the risk of type 2 diabetes. Fiber protects your heart, prevents constipation, and it keeps you feeling full so it helps with weight loss too.

But the best reason to eat these muffins is they are really delicious and easy to make. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

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Filed Under: Breads/Muffins, What I Cooked Today
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