Girl Scout Cookies…Recipes to Make Them At Home

For those of you that are freaking out over the news that the Girl Scouts are cutting their cookie line-up down to six varieties because of the stale economy (this is huge national news…just check out The Wall Street Journal), there is help online. One of my favorite blogs, Baking Bites, has a great post on how to make your own. And if your favorite cookie isn’t covered in that post, check out Chow. Fijis, Slim Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Samoas, Tagalongs…they’re all there for the making. Even if your favorite isn’t being scratched from the line-up, you should give these recipes a shot. Like most things, they really taste better when you make them yourself.

Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower – Easy, Quick, Healthy and Cheap

Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower This is my favorite kind of recipe…Easy, quick, healthy and cheap…but best of all, it just tastes great. It’s easy because it uses just a few basic ingredients…it’s quick, with a prep time of about 15 minutes and a total time of about 40 minutes…it’s healthy because cauliflower is high in fiber and a good source Vitamin C and folate…and cheap, well, because the ingredients don’t cost too much. If you prefer the flavor of Balsamic vinegar, you can substitute that for the Sherry vinegar in the final step…either way, it’s delicious!

Please click here for the printable recipe.

Crustless Broccoli Quiche….Low Carb and Still Delicious

OK…I personally could care less whether this is high-carb, low-carb or no-carb…all I know is that it tastes (and looks) great, is really simple to prepare and you can just pop a slice in the microwave for a quick breakfast. If you happen to live with someone who cares about carbs (like I do), the best thing about this dish is that you can really enjoy it together (you don’t have to fake it)…it’s that good! If you want an even healthier version, just substitute Eggbeaters for the eggs. And for a great variation, replace the onions with a cup or two of caramelized onions…it really adds a ton of flavor to the quiche.

Please click here for a printable copy of the recipe.

Simply Sensational Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions are terrific on everything… pizza, burgers, hotdogs, chops, steaks, brisket and are delicious in scrambled eggs, quiche or mashed potatoes….they even make an interesting (and delicious) dessert when served on sliced apples with a side of cheese. In fact, they’re great all by themselves…I guarantee you’ll find yourself eating them right out of the pan.

I think that I first read about this technique for caramelizing onions in Cook’s Illustrated Magazine years ago and have been using it ever since.

When onions are cooked low and slow for an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, imparting an intense sweet flavor and a beautiful deep mahogany color.

Caramelized onions can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Please click here for the printable recipe.

OXO Pop Up Vegetable (and Chicken Wing) Steamer

OXO Vegetable SteamerAlthough I did post a technique a while back for simply steaming a small quantity of vegetables, there are times when that method isn’t practical (like for prepping my Oven Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings). For these times, I highly recommend the Oxo Good Grips Pop-Up Steamer.

All you have to do is press on the handle and it pops up to make it safe and easy to insert into and remove from a steaming pot. One of the best feature is that you can unscrew the handle and it’s then perfect for steaming larger items like fish fillets (or huge batches of chicken wings!). It has foldable feet to keep the basket above the boiling water and it also expands to fit just about any pot. It’s a really cool kitchen tool with multiple uses…a practical (and inexpensive) addition to any kitchen!

And, if you really want to steam a huge batch of wings this simple, Asian-style 3 Tiered Aluminum steamer is great…it’s also perfect for steaming a couple of different vegetables (or a variety of seafood) all at the same time for a quick, healthy dinner.