Blog - Girl and Her Kitchen

Perfectly Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

I am not a frosting person. I never have been. I am the one that leaves the frosting off when I bake and everyone awkwardly eats the cake I made wondering when I will realize that I forgot the frosting. I didn’t forget. I did it on purpose. If I have cake somewhere else, I usually scrape the frosting off. I am not sure if it is that I don’t like frosting or if it is just that I like cake and don’t want to ruin the cake with the overly sweet stuff on top. I am just not a fan. Well…until I tried this one. I made this to top a carrot cake (an amazing, wonderful, delicious carrot cake that I will post sometime this week!) and I was amazed at how good it was. Especially creamy, not too sweet, fluffy and buttery, I could have eaten this with a spoon…without the cake. But I didn’t. Because that would be wrong and weird and…okay, I did. Just one spoonful. But it was really, really worth it. Now beware, this is not diet food (not that I thought you would think that with the title of this post) but it is a decadently delicious splurge for a holiday or special occasion. This recipe made a lot of frosting so I of course slathered it on the carrot cake and then whipped up a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls for the kids. Both recipes will be posted this week for your eating pleasure. 🙂 This frosting can be stored for up to a week in the fridge….if it lasts that long. It is just—that—good!

Perfectly Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
10 tblsp butter, softened to room temperature
3 tblsp sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Cream together cream cheese and butter with mixer. Add in sour cream and beat well. Add in vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat well, scraping down sides with a spatula until light and fluffy. Try not to eat all out of mixing bowl. Refrigerate. Enjoy! Spread on anything!

Salads and Dressings

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

There is something about orzo that I love. I honestly do not know why…I just do. Little bits of pasta that taste good with everything! I think my first experience with orzo was when I was a kid and my mom made it with some butter, salt, pepper and parmesan. Simple. Comforting. Delicious.
I remember it being in soups, side dishes and salads since then. It was so versatile and seemed to go well with whatever veggies, cheese, or protein I added to it. Last summer I remember tossing it with grilled red onions, zucchini, red peppers and shrimp. Sprinkled with a little parmesan and it was a perfect summer supper.

This orzo dish is mediterranean inspired. Perfect as a side dish, or toss in some shrimp or chicken and make it a meal. It is full of hearty ingredients and topped with a zesty vinagrette. Another great orzo dish to add to my (seemingly) obsession with this pasta!

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

2 cups cooked orzo, drained and rinsed under cold water
1 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat parsley

Dressing:

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tblsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in jar and shake well. Mix pasta, artichokes, olives , tomatoes, and scallions together. Pour dressing over and toss gently to coat. Top with feta, pine nuts and parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken & Turkey

Buttermilk Rosemary Chicken

I love chicken, but let’s face it, it really gets boring sometimes. I love when I find and try new chicken recipes because is so easy to get stuck in a chicken rut. That sounds strange…but you know what I mean. I love this recipe because marinating the chicken in the buttermilk makes it so tender and the fresh rosemary is infused in the chicken giving it an excellent flavor. This is a quick and easy chicken dish. No frills, but lots of flavor. This would be perfect to serve along with the Milano salad http://www.girlandherkitchen.com/2012/03/milano-salad.html

I posted the other day. A simple meal for a weeknight is always a good thing to have on hand! Oh and forgive the oddly shaped chicken breast picture. It looks like someone took a bite out of it but it was really just the shape of that piece of chicken. A photographer I am not, but it sure tasted good! 🙂

Buttermilk Rosemary Chicken

2 cups buttermilk
4 tblsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 chicken breasts

Combine first four ingredients in a plastic bag. Add chicken breasts and marinate overnight. Heat and lightly oil or spray grates on outdoor grill or grill pan. Place chicken on grill and cook for 8 minutes on one side. Turn over and grill for 5 more minutes or until cooked through. Serve warm.

Adapted from a recipe by The Sisters Cafe

Salads and Dressings Vegetables and Fruit Vegetarian

Milano Salad

I usually avoid supermarket ready made salads like the plague. You know the ones…plastic containers filled with withered lettuce and mushy veggies that have been sitting for just a little too long? Yes those. Well, to my surprise, I found a gem last week. It was tough to try to eat balanced meals last week when we were having work done in the house. There wasn’t a lot of room in the tiny fridge we have downstairs so meals last week were a bit…odd. Anyways, I had to run to the grocery store for some other things, and realized I was incredibly hungry. The salads were calling my name and I couldn’t understand why. I carefully picked one out and with much trepidation, brought it home to eat (in my basement :). When I opened the container, the withered greens were nowhere to be found, but instead found tender peppery arugula, smoky red peppers, hearty artichokes, flavorful calamata olives and tangy gorgonzola cheese. To top it off was this delicious, creamy basil dressing that was so good! I loved it and once I got my kitchen back, I recreated it, adding a few things here and there. It is a really good salad. Perfect for lunch or even with grilled chicken or fish for dinner. I am sure this will become one of your favorite salads!

Milano Salad

4 cups arugula
1 1/2 cups cooked small pasta, rinsed with cold water (I used tortellini but any pasta will do)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced ( I just bought a jar of them but you could roast them yourself)
1 cup artichoke hearts ( I just buy the canned, but you can use frozen and let them thaw)
1 cup peeled and quartered cucumbers
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup calamata olives
1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Creamy Basil Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
black pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mince basil leaves by hand or pulse in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl, salad dressing cruet or mason jar. Add mayo, yogurt and buttermilk. Shake well or whisk. Add salt, pepper and spices and shake or whisk to combine. Serve dressing over salad.

Breakfast Vegetables and Fruit Vegetarian

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Ok! I am back! Finally! I knew I loved being in the kitchen…cooking, sharing meals with my family, hosting parties and even just sitting over a cup of coffee (tea for me) with friends to talk. We just had work done in our kitchen that required us to clear ALL the stuff out of the cabinets and were not allowed to use it for a little over a week. Believe me…you never realize how much you use that space until you are forbidden to use it! After a week of eating and living in our basement, I am happy to say that the kitchen is done and looks amazing and we are back to spending most of our time in it. So…that means I am back to cooking. I apologize for not posting, but I didn’t think you would want any recipe for anything I created without a stove, oven, sink or fridge. Believe me, it wasn’t pretty.
So my kids and husband are happy to have some home cooked meals to enjoy and I can’t wait to share them with you. I have a lot of great recipes to share with you so please keep checking back!

I have recently started adding fruit, yogurt or a sweet treat after family meals. It is something fun for the kids to look forward to, and for the most part I am making healthy sides that the kids are calling “desserts”. This one was a big hit with the family and not only is it a great after dinner treat, but it can be part of breakfast, lunch or a snack too. Feel free to play around with it adding fruit that you like, but this combination worked really well for us. The honey lime flavor really makes this salad so as long as you have that, I am sure any fruit would taste great.

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

2 cups strawberries, sliced
5 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into chunks
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2 tblsp fresh lime juice
1 tblsp honey
Toasted coconut (optional)

Mix all fruit in serving bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk lime juice and honey. Toss with fruit. Top with toasted coconut right before serving.

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More recipes to come soon….

We are having work done in our kitchen and I haven’t been able to cook! Sorry-do not give up on me! I will be posting daily again as soon as my kitchen is ready for me! Check out the “RECIPE INDEX” tab for some recipes that have already been posted. Keep checking back–we will be up and running very soon! I appreciate your patience! 🙂

Side Dishes Vegetables and Fruit Vegetarian

Oven Roasted Broccoli

It always seems as if I am in shortage of side dish recipes. I find this amazing chicken recipe and then hmm….what to make with it? I feel like I stick with the same old, same old sometimes and quite frankly, it gets a little boring! My goal as of late is to find and create some great, memorable side dish recipes. I got used to making steamed broccoli so much that I literally changed my kids from liking it to not liking it so much! When I made this recipe, my girls whole heartedly agreed that if I made the broccoli like this each time, they would have no problem eating it all! (Which they did!) I love vegetables myself, although I prefer cooked over raw unless the raw veggies are in a salad with a really good dressing. I especially like crisp cooked vegetables. There is nothing better than pan fried zucchini, or asparagus roasted in the oven until it is crispy on the edges and slightly browned. Yum. This recipe is like that. You are going to slightly steam the broccoli and then oven roast it with a little olive oil until it is crisp and tender. The pine nuts are definitely my favorite part of the whole thing so don’t leave them out! This recipe would go great with a grilled fish or chicken. I served it with salmon and it was perfect!
Oven Roasted Broccoli

8 cups of fresh broccoli florets, lightly steamed*
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
5 tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
3 tblsp pine nuts, toasted*
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 tblsp thinly sliced basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the florets in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or parchment paper. Toss the garlic onto the broccoli and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender and slightly browned and crisp at the edges. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and basil.

*I use fresh broccoli from the store and cut it into florets, then lightly steam in my vegetable steamer. It is really the best option, but if you are crunched for time you can also use a package of steam fresh broccoli that you microwaved (just microwave it about 2-3 minutes less than the package says). I cannot promise you the same delicious results as fresh broccoli, but it will still be good. If you still want to use fresh, but do not have a vegetable steamer-I highly recommend you purchase one, they are the best! No really, you can also steam the broccoli by placing the vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl, add2 tblsp water and cover the bowl with microwave safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner open to vent. Steam for about 3 minutes.

*I like to keep a batch of toasted pine nuts on hand for recipes just like this one. If you don’t do that, you can lightly toast pine nuts, and any nut for that matter in the oven on a cookie sheet or on the stove top in a fry pan. Whateve the method, nuts toast really fast! Check on them after 5 minutes and then every minute after that. When they are slightly browned and aromatic, remove them from the oven and put them on a cooled plate or bowl to cool. If you leave them on the pan, they will continue toasting, and sometimes burn! A quickie method for this recipe is to throw them on top of the roasting broccoli in the oven for the last 5-6 minutes of baking. They will toast right up without the hassle of toasting separately.

Recipe adapted by Girl and her Kitchen from Barefoot Contessa

Breakfast Crockpot

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

Ahh…breakfast in the morning….such a relaxing time. I spend time preparing a delicious, hot breakfast and then relax on my balcony, sipping hot tea, eating decadent scones with jam and just relaxing while preparing myself to face my day. Wait…..you didn’t fall for that did you? Because the last time I did that, was, well, never. I mean, I don’t even have a balcony and if I did, I surely wouldn’t be eating my breakfast on it for fear that one of my children would think it was funny to see how far they could jump.
Most mornings have me scrambling to get the kids downstairs as fast as they possibly can after a treacherous half hour (or more) pleading with my middle daughter to “please just pick an outfit” and running after my son as he darts in and out of every room quicker than I can say good morning. When we finally arrive downstairs, I am usually sweating, shocked that I am this tired and it is only 7:30 am, and in my usual mom uniform of sweats, t-shirt and headband because, let’s face it, we spend a lot of time making sure they look presentable, but that usually leaves little time to make sure I do (cue the shirt with cereal thrown by my son and not noticed until someone else does and by then, it’s too late). Then, my kids expect me to make them breakfast. I know, right? Rude. 🙂 Well anyways, cereal, cereal bars, bagel and cream cheese, fruit, yogurt or frozen waffles (the healthy kind) is usually on the menu. These are all great options and I love starting the kids off with a balanced breakfast but I got to thinking how nice it would be to have a hot breakfast once in awhile. Remember a long time ago (a really long time ago) when you would wake up to the smell of breakfast. You knew it was going to be a good morning when breakfast was waiting for you, hot and ready to go. Thanks Mom! Ok, so now I am that person that should be doing that, so when this recipe came to my attention, I jumped on it. Breakfast that I can make the night before and have it hot and ready in the morning with no effort? Sign me up! When the kids and I got up the other morning to the smell of cinnamon, there were no outfit arguments and everyone was smiling. This breakfast can do that for you too. Give it a try. It may just solve your morning problems!

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal

8 cups of water
2 cups steel cut oats *
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup golden raisins or other dried fruit (optional)

Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray. In the slow cooker, combine all the ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 7 hours. Stir well before serving. Serve with assorted fruits, nuts, milk and extra brown sugar. ** YUM!

*Make sure you use Steel Cut Oats. You can find them right by the regular oats. These steel cut oats are even better for you, but most importantly, they stand up in the slow cooker.

**I prepped my oatmeal toppings the night before as well and portioned them in little bowls. Therefore the morning breakfast was easily set up and the kids got to load up their oatmeal with walnuts, blueberries and extra brown sugar and milk. They called it an “oatmeal bar” and now they are asking when I am going to make it again. I hope it is a big hit in your house too!

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Pasta Sauces and Condiments

Easy Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce

So the other day I was talking to one of my good friends and she brought up my blog. She was telling me that her sister was trying to cook more meals at home these days, and my friend suggested that she check out my blog. My friend told me that her sister called back and told her that while this stuff looked great and all, she needed something easy. So…this one is dedicated to Tracy! I want my blog to reach all sorts of cooks-those who love challenging recipes, those who want to try new ingredients, the people that just need some inspiration, and those who are just looking for some simple meal ideas that they can make fast. I know that I love to cook, but let’s face it…Monday through Friday, I really don’t have that much time to do it. I have to prep during my son’s nap time if it is something time intensive. We all love to have a few quick staple recipes on hand that we can whip up fast without any extra added prep and this is one of them. I mean, if you are working and cooking for only one or two, you are exhausted when you get home. If you are a mom, you can only be expected to do so much with kids clamoring around you shouting out requests for a myriad of different things (all usually not related at all to your goal of getting dinner on the table!) . This is one that you can make and guess what? It takes just minutes and you barely have to think. Which for most of us, is a really good thing! Mix and match my pasta perfect ingredient suggestions and you have yourself some quick dinner ideas.

Tracy-I hope you like this one. Give it a try! It is simple, fast and really GOOD!

Easy, Creamy Garlic Alfredo

4 tblsp. butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. cream cheese
2 cups milk
1 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter on low heat in a saucepan. Add garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.. Add cream cheese and whisk as it melts. Add in milk and whisk until smooth. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk and cook 1-2 minutes until all ingredients are well blended and heated through. Makes about three cups.

*Note: I did make a batch with regular cream cheese and whole milk. It was delicious and indulgent. I also tried it out with low fat (neufechtal cheese) cream cheese and low fat milk. Still VERY good! I noticed I had to whisk it a little more until it got really creamy. I DO NOT recommend fat free cream cheese. If you want to save calories, but still make it creamy, I would go for the regular cream cheese and try low fat or fat free milk.

Pasta Perfect Combos

Add any of these options to cooked pasta and stir in the easy creamy garlic alfredo sauce. we tried the first one the other night. Delicious!

Steamed Broccoli + Cooked, cubed chicken

Cooked, cubed ham + peas + sauteed leeks

Sun dried tomatoes + artichokes

Sauteed mushrooms + diced bacon

Corn + jarred jalepenos + cooked, cubed chicken

Walnuts + Cooked, cubed chicken + blue cheese crumbles

Roasted Zuchinni, yellow summer squash and carrots

Steamed chopped spinach + cooked shrimp

Enjoy!

Muffins & Scones

Quinoa Muffins

So I made a big batch of quinoa last week when I made the Quinoa Vegetable Soup and had a lot leftover. My friend Tricia had made quinoa muffins awhile back and I remembered that they tasted so good. The quinoa gave it a hearty texture and an almost nutty taste. I experimented with a few recipes and came across one that I really loved. The best thing about this is that I feel you can vary it with different add ins such as pumpkin, nuts, raisins or other fruit. I added mashed banana to one batch and my oldest daughter cannot get enough of them. She is normally the child who can eat more than the rest of the family combined because she is ALWAYS moving, but this morning she polished off three of these quinoa muffins in about five seconds flat.

I love muffins, but they have to be the right type. I remember in high school I used to bring a big bran muffin from Sara Lee for lunch everyday with yogurt and an orange. I thought I was being so healthy until many years later when we all learned that those muffins have about 700 calories each and probably similar numbers in grams of fat. So much for the “health” part of that lunch, but I sure did love the taste of that muffin. Not too sweet, hearty and dense. These are a little bit lighter in texture, not quite as dense, but the taste reminds me of my old bran muffin standby, but with a lot less calories and fat. These are great for breakfast or a snack anytime! So, next time you make the Quinoa Vegetable Soup or another recipe with quinoa, make a big batch and make some muffins!

Quinoa Muffins

1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar minus two tablespoons (if adding banana, or something sweet, take out another two)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or lowfat milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cooked quinoa

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix oil and sugar, until well blended. Add vanilla, eggs and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, mix salt, baking powder and soda, flour and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet. Stir and then stir in quinoa. Divide amongst a muffin pan sprayed with baking spray or lined with muffin liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins have risen and toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for ten minutes, remove from pan and cool on cooling rack. Makes 16 muffins.

*Variations: add 3/4 mashed bananas, chopped apples or pureed pumpkin to wet ingredients. Or, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips, raisins or dried cranberries to mix after adding quinoa. You can also try 1/2 cup of any variety of nuts mixed in before quinoa as well.

** Spread muffins with peanut butter or cream cheese for a little extra added protein!