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
CHRIS (from Virginia) MADE MY RYE & WHOLE WHEAT BREADS
“Hi Jenny, Today is a cold and crisp weather day here in Virginia. What better way to warm up the house and bake bread! One is your Simple Wheat and the other is your rye baked in a loaf pan rather than free form!Ā Can’t wait to try the rye. It rose beautifully and smells amazing! As ALWAYS, many thanks for easy and delicious recipes!”
– I see they both rose beautifully. Thank you for letting us know you can bake that rye bread in a loaf pan. It’s very helpful. And Happy New Year!Ā – jenny
JENNA MADE MY PIZZA DOUGH
“Hi Jenny,Ā You inspired me to buy a 14in perforated pizza pan this Black Friday because you said in your YouTube video that the ones with the holes are better in givingĀ you consistent brown crust over pizza stone! I have pondered about buying a pizza steel for a few years now but itās too expensive and too heavy. But OMG!! I got brown leopard crust with the holed pan for the first time in my life!!Ā Your pizza dough recipe was perfect.Ā I first tried your dough recipeĀ with all purpose flour a few times but didnāt get much browning but once I tried bread flour, magic happened! I am SO HAPPY I could make a realĀ pizza at homeĀ now! If it werenāt for you, I would have never even heard about a perforated pizza pan and would have been still debating a heavy, expensive pizza steel. I am so grateful to you!!!!!”
– Jenna, this makes me so happy. Homemade pizza is such a treat and I’m so glad the pan is working for you. And I agree it’s much easier that those heavy pizza stones. Thanks so much for your photo and I hope you have a great Christmas! – jenny
SANDRA MADE MY QUICK & EASY NO YEAST BREAD
“Hello , Jenny I been using your recipes for a while , and all come exactly what youāre describingĀ thanks Jenny. This is my first attempt for this bread and was reading the comments and some people they said the dough was so soggy. So what I did I use cold egg and cold buttermilk because I remember when the egg and the buttermilk are room temperature are more running. The bread came perfect and the dough wasnāt soggy . I use the same mix method from when I do biscuits.“
– Sandra, this information you’re sharing is so helpful! Your bread turned out way better than mine so the cold ingredients sound like a great idea. Thank you very much! – jenny
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) – jenny
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!
Ā DON’T SEE YOUR PHOTO? Please use this NEW 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
CLAUDIA MADE MY FLATBREAD
“Making your blueberry muffins for breakfast with some Maine cranberries as family visiting for a week! And your flatbread! Easy and yum! Perfect first breakfast. Thank you, Claudia.“
Ā – You just made me hungry! Your flatbread looks delicious and I love all those toasty grill spots. Ā – jenny
IRENE MADE MY WHOLE WHEAT DINNER ROLLS
“These came out great. I used powdered milk with warm water, reduced salt to 1/2 teaspoon and sub with canola oil.“
– Irene, thank you for your photo. Your rolls look delicious and it’s good to know that powdered milk works too. – jenny
SYLVIA MADE MY DUTCH BABY PANCAKE
“Enjoyed this delicious Dutch Baby for breakfast. Your recipes are amazing! –Sylvia.“
– Now that’s the way to serve a pancake… with lots of healthy fruit! ššš« Thank you for your great photo. – jenny
SUE MADE MY NO KNEAD FRUIT & NUT BREAD
“I used your recipe today and it turned out great. I tossed in some pine nuts, which I wanted to use up, and some pumpkin seedsā¦..I added just a little bit of water. This is a wonderful recipe. It makes a beautiful and satisfying loaf of healthy bread. I am looking forward to making it again.“
– Sue, your bread looks incredible – I wished mine looked that good. Thank you so much for sharing. – jenny
IRIS MADE MY 2-HOUR NO KNEAD BREAD
“Total success. My husband is asking for this to be baked for him forever … No more bought bread he says.“
– Iris, I can see why he said that. Your loaf looks beautiful! Thank you for the photo. – jenny
Summer blueberries are in season so I’m loving this easy recipe for what I’ve decided to call “Blueberry Breakfast Cake.” It’s not too sweet, easy to make, no mixer is needed, and there are different options for the top. Along with my usual breakfast of a hard-boiled egg and toast, I’ve been enjoying a slice of this breakfast cake for dessert. Blueberries are considered brain food so I’m hoping this helps me for the number of times I walk into a room and forget why I went there! š Click here for the recipe.Ā
You know how they always say, “Eat leafy greens?” š„¬ Make this recipe and you’ll be supporting your heart, brain, eyes, bones, blood pressure, and digestion, And spinach is loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, plus folic acid, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and more.
Com’on! Get on the spinach train like me! š Click here for the recipe.
Is anyone else tired of cleaning your garlic press? Or of chopping garlic? I know I am. I cook with garlic all the time and I saw a great tip on a better way to use garlic. All you do is add a whole peeled garlic clove directly into your pan while cooking. You’ll still get plenty of garlic flavor without the mess. Once your recipe is done, simply remove and discard the garlic. I forgot once and ate the whole thing but that’s okay – you’ll gets lots of health benefits, just maybe not a lot of close-up friends!
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…
