It’s hard to focus on my cooking when the Dodgers are playing the Blue Jays in the World Series. ā¾ļø I’m a Dodger fan but I’m also from Canada. šØš¦ It’s like having to choose between cake and pie! Here’s what I cooked this week:
Vegetable fried rice with carrots, cabbage, bok choy, spinach, and edamame + salad with ginger dressing.
Thin breaded chicken cutlets with rice plus steamed carrots and green beans.
Oatmeal muffins
Salmon patties with roasted vegetables
No knead fruit & nut bread
Vegetable bean chili + endive & romaine salad
Apple pudding
Taco salad
Here’s an un-staged picture of my spice drawer. Don’t judge me! š I know how it looks…. bad. But I know where everything is at any given moment. If you’re gong to judge me, do it for something dreadful… like cutting my own bangs.
“How do you get your skin so glowing?” āSeriously, you NEVER get a cold or the flu?ā āHow can you go all day and never get tired?ā āNo way youāre about to turn 80!ā
Those are the questions Iām asked most oftenā¦ and thatās why Iām here. I figure if I can help people eat healthy meals by sharing my recipes, maybe I can help someone look better, feel better, or maybe even live longer by sharing what Iāve learned over my 79 years. There. I said it. SEVENTY-NINE! Boom! š§Ø
Iāve been a student of nutrition and skin care since I was seventeen. I think it might be paying off. If I’m wrong, someone will undoubtedly let me know. š
It seems whenever there is work to be done, I somehow remember that I need to bake something. I mean really, isn’t pie more important than vacuuming? Ā Here’s what I cooked this week…
Apple pie
Chicken & penne with pesto sauce and added spinach + salad
Tapioca pudding
Bran muffins
Egg salad
Bread crumbs
Chicken parmesan with spaghetti & my spaghetti sauce + steamed broccoli
Granola bars
Breadstick croutons (see below why I won’t make them again)
Chicken kabobs with peppers, zucchini & basmati rice + salad
No knead whole wheat bread
Oatmeal muffins
Taco salad
The breadstick croutons were easy to make. I just rolled a breadstick and used a scraper to cut little pieces. I tossed them in sesame seeds and they baked up round and pretty. I put them on my salad and quickly learned that you can’t poke them with a fork. You have to balance it on the fork and you know how that went. Three of them fell off the fork, rolled along the floor (that I didn’t vacuum), most of the seeds came off and now I HAD to vacuum. Next time, bread STICKS!
Not all of my experiments turn out. I only post them when they turn out many times and when my husbands says, “You can make that again!” Ā Wait… is that a diss at all my other stuff? Here’s what I made this week…
Oatmeal banana muffins (without the crunchy top) – I sprinkled the tops with sugar for a crispy top.
I can’t think of anything that isn’t better when it’s homemade, from scratch. Sometimes, when I’m tired of cooking, which translates to “tired of washing dishes” and we go out to eat, I’m always reminded why I cook at home. Everything homemade just tastes better. Here’s what I cooked this week…
Spaghetti with shredded chicken + salad & garlic bread
Oatmeal muffins
Turkey chili with crusty rolls + salad
Double chocolate chip cookies
Peanut butter
Peanut butter cookies (they’re all in the freezer)
Vegetable fried rice with salad (working on Asian ginger salad dressing)
No knead whole wheat bread
Egg salad
Double chocolate almond biscotti
Sheet pan chicken & vegetables (this time with red potatoes & green beans)
Vegetable cashew stir fry (still not perfect š£)
Taco salad
Chocolate pudding
I’m reducing sugar so most of our desserts are a cookie or sometimes, I have one or two of my chocolate clusters. I bake and freeze cookies all the time so we can always have something sweet after dinner. These days, Ā homemade pudding seems a bit extravagant. š
It’s hard to take these pictures when I’m hungry and ready to eat. They are quick snapshots in a messy kitchen but here they are. In sharing these weekly posts, I’ve come to realize that I make a lot of bread. That means I eat a lot of bread. But I like it! š Here’s what I made this week…
Chicken veggie kabobs
Seeded no knead bread. (it’s my whole wheat version with 1/4 cup of a seed mix)
I’m working on more vegetarian recipes. Now if I could just grow may own vegetables… I quit because the squirrels always win. šæ Here’s what I made this week:
Vegetable cashew stir fry (a work in progress)
Cabbage soup
Pumpernickel bread
Dark chocolate dipped coconut macaroons
Turkey meatballs with pesto pasta + salad
Tortillas
Custard pudding
No knead whole wheat bread
Baked ziti + salad
Apple pudding
Granola bars
Crispy oatmeal cookies (no chocolate chips)
Chicken breast with rice and steamed carrots & green beans
Dark chocolate-cashew clusters
Taco salad
Vegetable cashew stir fry (2nd version)
(Not all recipes that I made this week are posted. That usually means they are not ready for prime time yet! š)
Ā DON’T SEE YOUR PHOTO? Be sure to use thisĀ LINK ā”ā”MyJennyRecipe@gmail.comĀ to send your photo. I love love love seeing my recipes being made all over the world! Please say where you are from. š š
BETH (from Canada) MADE MY LEMON CURD
“Hi Jenny, I am thoroughly enjoying your lemon curd recipe.Ā It’s a favorite for every season.These are winter waffles (gingerbread).Ā With a scoop of greek yogurt or cottage cheese.Ā Ā Delicious combinations. Thanks for the easy curd recipe. Ā ~ Beth from snowy Southern Ontario.”
– Beth, this has to be my favorite picture of the year! It looks so delicious and festive and colorful and… just lovely. Thank you for always taking time to send your fantastic photos. – jenny (from sunny California Ā š but missing my snowy Canada)
MEL MADE MY 100% WHOLE WHEAT NO KNEAD BREAD
“I used one of the “cast iron bread ovens” instead of the regular dutch ovens.Ā I kept catching the edge of my parchment paper on fire, and having the browned part fall apart on me when I used a deep one.Ā Asked for this for my birthday, then it sat for several months unused before I found your wonderful recipe!Ā (I copied a pic of one from Amazon to show you, below my bread pic.Ā If you don’t have one of these, I definitely recommend – it makes everything so much easier!) Here’s my loaf.Ā It turned out gorgeous, and tastes great!Ā Ā Thanks so much!” š
– Mel, thank you for the photos and for all the helpful details. Now that’s a great looking, rustic crust!Ā – jenny
GREG (from Colorado) MADE MY FRESH CRANBERRIES & PUMPKIN PIE, ANTI-AGING JELLY & OATMEAL MUFFINS
“Hi Jenny – Happy Thanksgiving. l might have sent you the cranberry picture – but the pumpkin pies just came out of the oven – thanks for all you do!! Best – Greg š“
– Greg, thank you for these lovely, festive photos. My pie just came out of the oven too. Happy Thanksgiving back to you. Ā – jenny
“Hi Jenny – l am feeling Ā and looking younger already – š – love this recipe with different juices and fruit – this is pomegranate/ blueberry juice with blueberries- blackberries and banana!!”
“Well – they are large!! Hot out of oven but wanted to get a picture to you – l put a bit of raspberry preserves on top before baking – that is what the holes are šĀ Green beans are for your Greek chicken with potatoes and green beans – up next! I just used your Greek vinaigrette for the marinade since l had made a batch – going to be a good dinner and dessert!!”
RUSS (from Illinois) MADE MY 10-GRAIN NO KNEAD BREAD
“This is Russ from Illinois. Great recipe, Easy, Looks great and delicious.Ā Thanks Jenny.”
– Wow that looks so good! This should get more people to try whole grain varieties of these breads. Thank you so much for the photo.Ā – jenny
GREG (from Colorado) MADE MY EVERYDAY COOKIES
“Hi Jenny – these are the best cookies – l have more in the oven but wanted to get a photo to you – the green specs are pumpkin seeds!! Best – Greg in Colorado“
– Greg, it’s good to see this cookie made even better with the pumpkin seeds. And I love those vintage canisters! Thanks for the lovely photo.Ā – jenny
JENNA MADE MY OATMEAL COOKIES
“Found you through your YouTube channel during the pandemic but only recently started making your recipes beauxe Iām home with the baby for paid family leave. I never got into baking because itās so calorie dense but knowing that you were health conscious made me trust you and inspired me to bake!Ā Thank you for the recipe and keeping the website up! Please excuse my crusty wire rack!”
– Jenna, thank you for your photo. As for your wire rack, I am very familiar with crusty wire racks. I see your wire rack and raise you two crusty wire racks! šĀ – jenny
GREG (from Colorado) MADE MY 5-MINUTE ALFREDO SAUCE & BRAN MUFFINS
“Hi – made your Alfredo sauce over whole wheat penne with broccoli for dinner and l also made your bran muffins added blueberries- because l am an overachiever š Ā thanks for all you do!! Best – Greg in Colorado. Ā PS- that is Pasqual – patron saint of the kitchen staring at the bran muffins with approval – got it on a trip to Santa Fe – one of my favorite spots!”
– That pasta dish looks delicious and healthy, too. And your bran muffins tell me your focus is on good health. Thank you for these great (and motivational) Ā photos!Ā – jenny
KEVIN MADE MY HOMEMADE APPLE PIE
“Jenny, hereās a picture of the beautiful Homemade Apple Pie my partner Kevin made today using your fabulous recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.“
– Gotta love a man who bakes! I just made apple pie myself and it takes a lot of work. And look at that fancy crust. Kudos to Kenny! š – jenny
MIRELLA Ā MADE MY 2-HOUR FASTEST NO KNEAD BREAD
“I made your 2 hr fastest no Knead bread twice now and it has become my favorite bread! I substitute 1/3 of bread flour with whole wheat flour for a little more fiber. It’s easy to make and delicious! Thank you!“
– That looks fantastic! It’s so good to know that this fastest version works with whole wheat flour. Thank you very much. – jenny
BETH MADE MY GRANOLA BARS
“Hi Jenny.Ā I just baked a batch of your granola bars.Ā I love my small baking tray. I dont have a 9 x 9 so use folded foil to adjust the size.Ā Perfect bake. Especially love that this sheet fits in my toaster oven.Ā Ā I sprinkled cinnamon on top and at 325 it didnt burn.Ā Great easy recipe. Thanks. ~ Beth from sunny Ontario.”
– Beth, thank you so much for these photos. It’s really helpful for other cooks to know how to use a larger pan to make these granola bars… and to know you can use a toaster oven, just like I do.Doubly helpful! ā¤ļø – jenny
CHRIS MADE MY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD & 20-MINUTE PIZZA DOUGH
“Hi Jenny, made your 20 minute pizza dough and whole wheat bread. Artichoke and pesto, plus cheese!Ā Delicious! Easy!Ā Ā Thanks for your simple and reliable recipes.Ā ALWAYS turn out perfectly!“
Ā – Artichoke and pesto pizza sounds delicious! Thank you so much for the photo and for the compliments on my recipes. ā¤ļø Ā – jenny
SYLVIA MADE MY TORTILLAS
“Your recipes never fail me. The were a big hit and easy to make.“
Ā – Thank you for this lovely photo. We went out for Mexican food this week and when we had their tortillas, I was reminded how much better they are homemade. They take some work but it’s so worth it! Ā – jenny
This is my most treasured cookbook, the one I learned how to cook with. It was published in 1968 and is still a classic today. I often refer to it and this time, I came across an old recipe for prune whip. I see a lot of people ask about how to make prune whip so I took a picture of the recipes (2 actually, one stovetop and one baked) and am posting them here for anyone who wants to make old fashioned prune whip, or maybe can use this recipe as a base for your own creation.
Prunes provide more than just fiber. They are full of nutrients like potassium, iron, vitamins B6 and K, lots of polyphenols, and boron for bones. Enjoy!
Here’s an un-staged picture of my spice drawer. Don’t judge me! š I know how it looks…. bad. But I know where everything is at any given moment. If you’re gong to judge me, do it for something dreadful… like cutting my own bangs.
