Recipe Lineup #7 Bring It Home for 2011

When I think about 2011, it has gone by so fast. The deadlines, appointments, meetings, plans, and visitors, and I made to this day. Our kids are one year older, even I turned a year older this past week! So with 2011 coming to close and this blog turning it pages to another January, I have come up a lineup which will help bring this last week of December home with a bang. I have some comfort food (even a red meat recipe....gasp), some drinks to celebrate 2012, and some odds and ends which are sure to tried. Make sure you make it to the bottom. I have included two links which will give you even more recipes to par-ooze. Plus, I give a tiny shout out to my Georgia born Mom (my angel on earth.)

Grab your favorite tea, or coffee. Close your office door turn off your latest iPhone and logout of Facebook Enjoy the recipe that made it into this weeks lineup. Find a favorite or find one which gives you a challenge. Accept, conquer and drool!

Meal #1

Wonderful Joy Ahead

Chickpea Patties with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

with

Shelterific

Nepenthes chopped salad w/ roquefort vinaigrette

I am excited to try these recipes. There are a few salads in the mix this week. Feel free to make the dressing in the recipe or use your favorites.

Meal #2

The Pioneer Woman

Penne a la Betsy

with

Girl's Gone Child

Aunt Dot's Chopped Salad

I so love Pioneer Woman and I am going to love to make this pasta dish. Paired perfectly with a light and wonderfully deep salad.

Meal #3

Desktop Cookbook

Slow Cooker Yellow Split Pea Soup

with

How Does She?

Delicious Dinner Rolls

I have not tried to make yeast bread in so long and this darn photo is going to make me try again. Don't those just look delicious. Yellow split pea is the new Green Split Pea soup. Going to try that one out. 

Meal #4

Annies Eats

Panko Crusted Salmon

with

Gluten Free Goddess

Red Quinoa with Butternut Squash

Do let me know if Quinoa is making it to your table to often, but for our family, I am just getting started. This should be a great fall recipe.


Meal #5

Handle the Heat

Take Out-At Home Mongolian Beef

with

Epicurious

Lucky New Year - read about this below

Hoppin John Salad with Molasses Dressing

Oh yes, beef has made into the lineup. Still don't know if I will make this recipe but I had to post. What a great concept....finding your favorite take out and then making it yourself. Hum.


Worth Trying


Appetizers

Eat Drink Pretty

Caprese Skewers 

I think these are delicious all year round. 

Cake  & Allie

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch

The Curvy Carrot

Savory Spinach Bites

Sweet Treats

17 & Baking 

Red Velvet Cheesecake

The Galley Gourmet

Peppermint Crisps

Vegalicious

Raw Cherry Tart

Quenching

Martha Stewart

The Blizzard Cocktail

Epicurious

Pink Gratefruit Strawberries and Champagne Granita 

with Sugared Strawberries

Annies Eats

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

Breakfast

Framed Cook

Ham and Eggs Crepe Squares

Odds/ Ends

Jane Laurene

Grill Cheese Reinvented

Blue Jean Gormet

This one is for my Mom!

Billie Jeans Fried Orka

More Options = More Recipe & Great reads

Epicurious has a great post about what food to eat to have a lucky New Year. No, I did not double check to make sure all the recipes in this post will bring you good luck, but it is a great read with lots more recipes.

 Luck of food

Gluten Free Goddess, put together a HUGE list of Gluten Free Recipes. I could use just this one post for about 3 months worth of recipes. All delicious, gluten free and perfect for anyone who is trying to get rid of the gluten.

 Gluten Free Holiday recipes

Enjoy my hungry friends. I will be spending this week, enjoying the moments I have with my beautiful boys, my marvelous husband and loving dogs. I am looking forward to what this next year has to offer. What planets are aligning as we speak and what changes are about to knock on our door.

What are you most looking forward to for 2012?
What was your top 10 favorite moment of 2011?

Cheers to 2011 and Bring on 2012!

Have you joined the private group on Facebook? It is to comment, meet and interact with those who are making the same thing you are every week. Come find me at Helpful Recipes, Follow me other undertaking on Facebook The Helpful Sister and keep up with my latest tweets at Helpful Sister.

Happy New Year,

Linda Jacobson
Helpful Sister

Recipe Lineup #6- Holiday Edition Dec 19-23 (30+ recipes)

I wonder how many of the population are increasing stress levels and coffee during this last week before Christmas? It seems every year the holiday commercials/ decor, in retail stores, come even sooner than last year. With all the added to-do lists items, cleaning of the house and for some, the winter travel, there is little time to really sit down to prepare a meal plan.

With this Recipe Lineup- Holiday edition you should find some time to spare. I have included over 30+ recipes this go round.  Main course meals which should be time saving as leftovers. Look for salads which will make your heart and stomach happy. Snacks for the family gathering/or party. Want some breakfast ideas for the holidays coming up? There should be few which you bookmark. There is even a few holiday cocktails to put into on your menu to make your time with family even more chipper.

Happy Holidays from my family to yours. May you find peace in the simple things and wonder in the eyes of little children.


Meal #1

Linguine with Clams

with

Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate 

Oh I have been craving seafood. I truly think these two are going to go so well together. Yes, yet another quinoa recipe, but it is just so good and can be used in so many ways.



Meal #2

Smokey Corn Chowder

with

Homemade Cheddar Crackers

Soup is just so darn good. It warms me up and it is so easy as a leftover. The crackers I have been making all week. They are so yummy. No, I can not get mine to puff like the photo but the kids don't care. I am loving that I know what is going into them and I do not have to buy a box of them when I run out. Use whatever cheese you like. I found a great Gruyere/White Cheddar cheese at Trader Joe's that is just perfect for these crackers. 

Meal #3

Tortilla Casserole

with

Parsley Quinoa Salad

Mexican food is so delicious. I found this casserole so I could have lunch the next day. It serves (4) so change accordingly if you have a larger group to feed. I find that I just love having a light salad to pair with any dish. Quinoa shows us its face again, this paired with cucumber and parsley. Light and perfect.



Meal #4

Pear Salad with Walnuts & Feta

with

Kale & Potato Gratin

I do things a little strange sometimes and that is put two sides together. Whoooo hold up. We do not eat a lot of red meat so I have to somehow get creative. Veggies are a great friend to us. So in this meal we are getting some living foods and then some cooked. Not a bad friendship.


Meal #5

Pomegranate Orange Salad

with

Grilled Fish Tacos

Fish tacos.....oooh one of my favorites. These seem to be excellent since can use our indoor grill. Don't know about those trying to do this on a outdoor grill. Might have to scratch these till next spring. :) The salad is a simple, quick addition to any meal.

Worth Trying

Holiday Cocktails

Jingle Juice

&

Cranberry Mojito

Smoothie Peanut Butter Banana

 (if you have extra put this in a popsicle mold for the kids, add some green algae or vitamin C powder too)

Snacks 

Homemade Cheez-Its (Gluten, Soy, Dairy Free)

60+ Holiday snacks prepared in 20 minutes or less

Breakfasts

9 make ahead recipes 

 Spinach and Bacon Quiche (homemade pie crust)

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Sweet Treats

Sparkly Red Velvet Brownie Bites

One dough-6 cookies

Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pie 

(ps. I am using coconut oil for the oil)

Cinnamon Rolls 

Well what did you like the most? What are you bookmarking for a later time? These recipes are found all across the world wide web, so it is so exciting to see what pops up every week. See you next week. If you think your neighbor, best friend, family, boss might like to use some of these recipes, do share. Fill free to join/comment on the private group on Facebook called Helpful Recipes.

Remember these are all ideas I put together for my family. You can pair other things I have with one you like of your own or from a previous post. I sometimes put a pasta dish, after a pasta dish. You can easily save these and come back next week. Just make the options what you want out of them. 


Cheers and many blessings.

Linda Jacobson
The Helpful Sister

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Recipe Lineup (#5) for Dec 12-19

This week I seem to have found some more hearty meals. I did put together some great mixes. So much fun finding recipes and pairing them together. You could possibly turn you heat off in you home, because these recipes will keep toasty, warm and cozy. Meat has made more of an appearance this week, feel free to take the meat out if you so desire. I most likely will be doing the same.

Meal #1 

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
(cream of broccoli soup recipe -using gruyere cheese) 

SALAD: Brussel spouts, kale, & Turkey Bacon

I have been really enjoying eating Quinoa in the past few recipes. So much better for the body compared enriched flour noodles. What do you think of Quinoa?

Meal #2

Honey Marinated Pork Chops

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Time to have pork back in the menu. Have not had it around much these days. Pair the Pork Chops with a great organic Orzo and fresh veggies.

Meal #3

Beef and Barley Stew with Mushrooms

Buttery Homemade Cornmeal Crescent Rolls

I am still not sure if I am going to use the Beef. I might go with turkey or add other veggies to the mix. I think a great roll will make this a perfect match.

Meal #4

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Cranberry Avocado Salad with Spiced Nuts, 

White Balsamic Dressing

The salad could almost be a stand alone dish, but thought I would go well with a heavier main dish. Do you use whole wheat noodles, organic or the standard noodles? What is your favorite style of noodle?

Meal #5

Stuffed Zucchini

Roasted Potatoes with Polenta

Enjoy! I am so excited to try the stuffed zucchini. The Roasted potatoes could be used for a breakfast even.

WORTH TRYING

SOUP:

Fakes Soupa (Greek for Lentil soup)

BREAD:

Artisan Bread

SMOOTHIE:

Mudslide Smoothie (Raw/Living)

SNACKS (Holiday)

No Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Truffles 

(homemade cake mix link)

Sea Salted Honey Maple Shortbread

Festive Cheddar Tree

Holiday Baking Recipes

DRINKS:

Hot Spiced Apple Cider

Hot, warm, full-fulling, whatever you might describe these recipes, they are sure to make your home even hotter. Enjoy and let me know what you think on the private Helpful Recipe Group on Facebook.

Happy Holidays and many many best days ever!

Linda Jacobson

The Helpful Sister