Jolene's Recipe Journal

  My husband is very picky about his steak and my son has sensory issues coupled with a bad steak experience from a few years ago, so I searched through Pinterest and assessed my possibilities.  I've gotten my kid to eat chicken, pork and eggplant all by breading it, so I mulled over the idea of country fried steak, but I am terrible at making gravy.   My friend Sue suggested steak fingers, and a quick google search turned up these on Allrecipes.

These were on the menu for Superbowl, but I ended up having so much other food I scrapped them.   My son and I threw them together last night and we really enjoyed them.  I only did a few hot dogs worth, and the rest as plain muffins.    

I’ve always loved cashews, but with my husband and son both having severe tree nut allergies, I’ve had to be very careful. Lately, I’ve been searching for a snack that hits that same crunchy, satisfying craving without any risk—and that’s when I discovered roasted chickpeas. What You’ll Need 2–3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed Salt, to taste Cayenne pepper, to taste Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste Olive oil, optional (for finishing) Baking sheet How to Make Them Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread the drained and rinsed chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne, and freshly cracked black pepper. Roast for 45–50 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking. If desired, lightly mist with olive oil and add a final sprinkle of seasoning before serving. Tips & Variations Experiment with seasonings like smoked paprika, garlic powder, or cinnamon for sweet or savory flavors. Store cooled roasted ...

We're big football fans, but we're also big fans of football food. Sometimes I go with a theme, sometimes it's picnic style (my son's favorite), but always I have the same game plan-  make a lot of food that's good at room temp or easily reheatable so that I can sit and watch the game!      :) This week I stuck with some old favorites, pulled pork in the slowcooker (pork roast and bottle of Jack Daniels BBQ sauce on low 8 hours, shred, serve on rolls),  nachos (chips and cheese set up on plates so that plus cheese, crackers and fruit. I decided to treat myself to a few spicy dishes since there was plenty of options for the guys to eat.    Combed my to-try files and the first to go on the menu was Sweet and Spicy Jalapeno Poppers from Country Woman.    The chicken and bacon poppers use a mixture of brown sugar and Penzey's BBQ3000 spice mix, so I simply doubled it and dipped the jalapeno poppers first. I had to bake mine lon...

I was a little skeptical when I saw this recipe...  take a jelly sandwich, add deli meat and cheese and then dip and fry it up like french toast.   Oh-kay.    We're pretty much snowed in today and the guys wanted pork chops so I figured it was a good day to experiment with my own meal.    I didn't have raspberry jam, I used strawberry.   Not a huge Swiss cheese fan, so I used shredded mozzarella.    Next time I'd have some sliced on hand, would make it easier to flip the sandwich in the egg coating.      The flavors all meld together into something totally delicious.    Give it a try! Monte Cristo Sandwiches Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 4 servings 1 large egg 3 large egg whites 1/4 cup low-fat milk 1 pinch ground nutmeg 8 teaspoons raspberry jam 8 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread 4 thin slices roasted deli turkey -- (about 4 ounces) 4 thin slices deli ham -- (about 4 ou...

Enjoy a warm bowl of  our Lemon Chicken Rice Soup! It's made with chunks of chicken, fresh carrots, rice and a lemony broth with pepper and parsley.

We gave up traveling for Thanksgiving the year I was pregnant with Jake, Tim prefers Stovetop stuffing, jarred gravy and canned cranberry sauce, so basically I can go all out for desserts.    I let them each pick (Tiramisu for Tim and pumpkin pie for Jake, reviews to follow) and I wanted chocolate pie.  

I have a million potato recipes. We like them all kinds of ways. I've done potatoes on the grill before, but always in a packet or a grill pan.  I saw this recipe on TOH while poking around one day and put it straight on the to-try list.    

  Starting the week off with a winner!   I saw Carol's review of this and was so excited to give it a try.    I used her changes for the baking powder/soda and omitted the nuts.    Keeping in mind my veggiephobes, I peeled the zucchini before I shredded it and it all but disappears in the finished bread.   I also cheated and tossed the cherries into the food processor and gave it a few pulses.     Lastly, I sprinkled the top with coarse sugar, Tim really likes the crunch it gives baked goods and so do I.  Couldn't locate my 8x4 pans, so had to use 9x5s.   It made 2 nice loaves.  Jake and Tim have already eaten half a loaf!  Thank you, Carol and thanks to Susie Ann! Cherry Vanilla Zucchini Bread Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 2 eggs 1 c. canola or vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 c. grated zucchini 1/2...

Mom made us tons of popsicles growing up.   She poured juice into paper cups, stuck them in the freezer and then stuck sticks in them and let them freeze completely.  We thought she was a magician!  Now there are all kinds of popsicle molds, and I've owned several of them.    Puttering around amazon.com I ran across these molds by Tavolo, and I didn't hesitate, into my cart they went.

Zucchini bread can be so much more than just a sweet treat! This delicious savory Parmesan version is fantastic whether you enjoy it toasted or just as it is. It makes for a perfect snack or a tasty side dish that everyone will love! Another winner here.   Since I've got one confirmed veggiephobe and one recently reformed veggiephobe, I decided to go with summer squash instead of zucchini on this one, going with the "camo" factor.    I used granulated onion instead of grated.  

This Pizza Cake is the perfect April Fools' dessert — it looks just like a cheesy pan pizza, but it’s actually a fun, delicious treat! Had scheduled this Pizza Cake for April Fool's day after seeing it on the Taste of Home website but never got around to it.   Decided since today was the last day of April vacation, it would be a fun thing for Jake and I to do together.   Instead of round pans we baked it in a 13x9 according to the cake mix package directions. He spread the "sauce" out using an offset spatula. Next came the white chocolate "cheese".    Then the fruit roll up "pepperoni" rounds.   Jake said it needed "herbs" so we sprinkled the top with 2 kinds of green sprinkles at the end.    He was very pleased with how it came out and couldn't wait to fool Daddy with his creation! Pizza Cake Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 18 ounce package yellow cake mix and ingredients to make ca...

Looking for a dessert that’s as fun to make as it is to eat? This Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes recipe bakes the batter directly in the cone, making them easy to serve, fun to decorate, and a perfect treat for birthdays, bake sales, or kids’ parties.

These delightful classic waffles are super simple to whip up! They’re wonderfully crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They’re perfect topped with a pat of butter and drizzled with syrup, or you can enjoy them with your favorite seasonal fruit! Ok, the first step is admitting I have a problem.  Here goes! I, Jolene Martinelli, am addicted to waffles.   After years of frozen Eggos, and disappointingly flat icky homemade ones, I have finally found a waffle maker that churns out restaurant style and quality waffles.   I love my new waffle iron.  

Green beans are one of the few veggies my guys will eat without complaint so that means we eat them a lot. This is recipe from Taste of Home is one of our favorite ways to have them.  I love that it uses ingredients that I always have on hand.

  I've been making Paula Deen's Lemon Blossoms for over a decade.  They are super simple but packed with lemon flavor. Cake mixes have been downsized from when this recipe was first shared from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. You can get around this one of two ways, either by buying a second cake mix and measuring out 3 ounces or you can make a cake mix "upsizer" like this one from Cake Decorist.  I like to use a cookie scoop to distribute the batter evenly.  Do not be tempted to overfill the tins.  The cakes will puff up and then collapse and won't cook correctly in the center.  You can change up the cake mix flavor, pudding flavor and fruit juice/zest. They're great with a strawberry, orange or even pineapple cake mix. Using a chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding is delicious too, drizzled with chocolate syrup instead of the lemon glaze. Paula Deen’s Lemon Blossoms Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 18 1/2 ounc...

We eat a lot of chicken and I'm always on the lookout for new ways to make it.  A friend from an online community shared this recipe with me.  I didn't have any cooked chicken around, so I boiled my chicken in stock/water to cover for about 30 mins and then shredded it.     Even my son ate half a good-sized sandwich, and normally it's a fight to get him to eat anything with sauce on it.   

My 40th birthday cake-  yellow Betty Crocker cake mix, Martha Stewart's pastry cream, doubled and 1c heavy cream boiled and 1/2c semi sweet chocolate for the ganache.   Jake asked for seconds, something he's never done with cake before.     Martha Stewart's Pastry Cream Print With Image Without Image Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal Ingredients 1 cup milk 1/2 of a vanilla bean 1/4 cup + 1Tablespoon sugar 3 egg yolks 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon unsalted butter Instructions Scald milk, vanilla bean and 1/4c sugar. In separate bowl, beat yolks with 1T sugar until thick. Sprinkle in cornstarch and flour and continue beating until well mixed. Beat half of milk into egg yolk mixture. Combine with remaining milk and quickly bring to a boil, whisking rapidly. Remove from heat and pour into bowl to cool. Rub top with butter to prevent skin. Cover with plastic wrap and cool. Notes Source: Martha Stewart Living magazine Other recipes y...