You know how when you have a new recipe you really, really like, you want to keep serving it all of the time? Or, at least you want to tell people about it?
Well, I recently discovered a perfect summer side dish that is so good, and so easy to make, that I thought I would share it. Also, I want to ask you all if you have any “keeper” recipes you wouldn’t mind sharing with us… preferable easy to make, without a whole grocery list of ingredients.
Last summer, I bought this Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 Minute Recipes magazine, and found a few “keeper” recipes. This recipe has become a favorite of our’s. (It’s on page 7 of the magazine, which says “Display until 8/12/11” on the front. – While searching for information about this magazine, I found that there are many different editions, so I went ahead and posted the picture of the specific magazine I am talking about. It is published by Oxmoor House.)
Grilled Corn, Red Peppers, and Onions
PointsPlus value per serving: 3
Prep: 6 minutes Cook: 15 minutes
2 large ears shucked corn
1 large red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 medium-size sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (*I use coarse pepper)
1. Prepare grill. Coat first 3 ingredients heavily with cooking spray. Place vegetables on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (*Obviously, the cooking spray on the grill has to be sprayed on before starting up the grill.)
2 Cut kernels from corn to yield 3 cups; place in medium bowl. Cut pepper and onion into 1-inch pieces; add to corn. Add oil and remaining ingredients; toss well.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups).
Per Serving: Calories 117, Fat 4.6 g (sat 0.7, mono 2.9g, poly 0.6g); Protein 2.8 g; Carb 18.3 g; Fiber 2.6g; Chol 0mg; Iron 0.7mg; Sodium 164 mg; Calc 21mg
*I actually double the recipe so that I can serve it again – cold. Also, I haven’t figured out a way to cut the kernels off the corn in a “comfortable” way. That cob is hot!
If any of you have a recipe (preferable easy!) that is a “keeper” in your household you wouldn’t mind telling us about, feel free to post it in a comment. Thanks!
Bon appétit!
readerdiane says
I don’t like pie crust so I am always looking for a dessert to take places in the summer. I remembered the old dump cake recipes from 30 years ago & brought them back.
canned/fresh peaches or other fruit-30 oz w/ the juice
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter
crumble topping-1/2 C cake mix, brown sugar, chopped pecans to sprinkle on the top.
Pour in fruit, top with cake mix-lightly pack down, add crumble & pour melted butter on top.
Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Google the pumpkin dump cake-delish!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Readerdiane, this “Dump Cake” looks delicious AND easy. I think even I could make it! Thank you so much, I’m going to print your recipe out.
It reminds me of a cake a friend of mine gave me:
Judy’s Pineapple Angel Food Cake
1 box of angel food cake mix
1 large can of crushed pineapple
Dump the can of pineapple into the cake mix, stir it by hand until it is well mixed.
Pour into a 13″ X 9″ Pam-sprayed cake pan
Bake 30 minutes at 350*.
(I top ours with Fat Free ReddyWhip.)
MJ says
This is similar to a recipe I always make:
Lemon Bars (with Angel Food Cake)
1 pkg. angel food cake mix
1 can (21 oz.) lemon pudding/pie filling
Glaze (if desired):
1 cup powder sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
With a spoon, stir together cake mix and pudding/pie
filling (do not use electric mixer). Pour into
an ungreased jellyroll (11×15) pan and bake
at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
When baked and cooled, drizzle glaze over
top. OR, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
*I’ve used canned key lime pudding/pie filling (Musselman), too. If canned pudding is not available, use 2 1/3 cups of pudding made with dry mix (might need two small pkg. to get that amount – one 3.4 oz. pkg. makes 2 cups of pudding). Walmart carries a Jello strawberry dry pudding/pie filling that would also be excellent.
** This isn’t ‘low calorie’, but is a VERY quick bar to make.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, you aren’t kidding about these recipes sounding familiar. I never thought of substituting other ingredients for the pineapple dump cake, though. I wonder if this would work with something with chunks in it, like cherry pie filling…
MJ says
I haven’t tried it yet, but thought the strawberry or raspberry canned pie fillings might also work. I think the key is to use a 20-21 oz. can. Some canned pudding is ‘downsized’ to 15 oz.
I also thought of mixing a coconut cream with a lemon (making up 1 pkg. each of the dry mix) then using 1 cup of coconut cream pudding and 1 1/3 cups of lemon pudding.
BUT it does take a LITTLE MORE time when you have to make up the pudding first (of course, always use instant).
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, I didn’t even know coconut cream pudding mixes were available! It looks like you could probably substitute all sorts of compbinations into the angel food cake mix. I don’t make dessert very often, but these “Dump Cakes” require the correct amount of preparation for me!
Ellen says
Danna, my momma used to make this with the cherry pie filling. It was GREAT! Especially with vanilla ice cream – “to cut the sweet” to quote many southern ladies. And yes, I think you need the 20 or 21 oz. can.
cheers!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Ellen, for the additional tip. Crazy how so many of us have different versions of similar recipes. Must mean they are tried and true…
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
I’m not big on pie crust either–but I do like the graham cracker or cookies ones so I usually make those myself–crush the graham crackers and add in a bit of margarine and sugar so it sticks to the pie shell!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Maria, boy am I lazy! (I buy those crusts already made.)
readerdiane says
Thanks, sounds like it would be good for a tropical dinner night.
Alexie says
RearderDiane I just made the same recipe last week when it started getting hot, delicious and so easy.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Alexie and Readerdiane – Now that’s a small world!
Duffy Brown says
Best Pecan Pie ever and sooo easy. I get raves every time.
9” unbaked pie crust (the ready made is fine)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs slightly beaten
1/3 cut butter melted
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves (or walnuts)
heat over to 350. Combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla and mix well. Pour into crust, sprinkle with nuts and bake for 50 min till knife comes out clean. Cool. Add whipped cream, ice cream etc. ☺
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Duffy, it’s at times when I see recipes that look deli-iscious that I see what my family misses out on – having a diabetic in it. I usually am able to change recipes by substituting Splenda for Sugar, but corn syrup is another fine kettle of fish altogether!
Thank you for posting this recipe, though – I’m going to have to think on the corn syrup dilemma.
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
Danna,
My mom makes a similar “stir fry” and adds peppers of different colors to give it more color. I’m not a big pepper fan, but the zucchini has done well this year so I stir fry that up with onions! We’ve been eating it most every day for the past 3 weeks!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Maria, since red peppers are so expensive now, I sometimes buy the “bundled” packages of red, orange, and yellow peppers and use two of those in any recipes that call for red peppers. I would not be able to pass a blind-folded taste comparison of those three different peppers.
Zucchini and onions sound terrific – although I’m not sure about the three weeks part of that equation.
tea4katie says
My dear Auntie gave this very easy recipe to me years ago…and everywhere I take it, it’s a favorite. My grown kids love for me to make it when we all get together…We’ve always just called it… “Aunt Jackie’s Jello Salad”…
2 small boxes orange Jello
2 small cans mandarin oranges
1 med. can crushed pineapple
1 carton (1 pt) small curd cottage cheese
1 large carton Cool Whip
Drain mandarin oranges and pineapple. Mix fruit with dry Jello. Add cottage cheese. Mix. Fold in Cool Whip. Chill for at least 1 hour or longer.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you tea4katie, for this recipe. I’m already thinking about the sugar-free Jello and Fat Free Cool Whip.
(By the way, please let me know when you publish your “romantic mystery set in Ozark Amish country.”)
Regina says
Here is a great recipe for dessert either at family dinners or at potlucks.
Fast Fixin Chocolate Cake.
1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
1 package instant Chocolate Pudding.
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 1/4 cups water
1 package chocolate bits
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a well greased 13 by 9 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.
May be topped with a sprinkling of confectionary sugar if desired.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Oh my gosh, Regina! That cake would not last more than one day in my house! (And I’d be the culprit!!!)
Cathy says
Can’t decide between the two of these so just sharing both of them….hope you enjoy!
YAM BISCUITS
1 17oz can sweet potatoes in syrup, undrained
¼ cup oleo, melted
2 ¾ cup biscuit mix
Mash sweet potatoes in large bowl.
Add oleo and 2 ½ cups biscuit mix.
Mix well and knead on floured board until dough is not sticky, adding more biscuit mix if necessary.
Pat out to ½” thickness and cut into 12 pieces.
Bake 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.
———————————————————–
PUMPKIN MUFFINS
1 box spice cake mix
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
brown sugar
Mix all except brown sugar until smooth. Fill 12 lined muffin cups with batter (will be thick). Sprinkle tops with brown sugar.
Bake 22 min at 350 degrees
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cathy, thank you for posting both of your recipes. How much brown sugar do you put in the Pumpkin Muffins? They look like my kind of cooking! And, pumpkin puree is supposed to be a healthy alternative in baked goods!
Cathy says
Hi Danna….the brown sugar is just sprinkled on the top of the muffins before baking them so just use as much as you like….(or can get on there, lol)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cathy, and I could probably used Splenda brown sugar, so that would be “sort of OK” to over-load…
MJ says
We have a cookbook club at our library which meets once a month. Our June topic is ‘picnics’. Since Danna started this blog with a ‘summer type’ recipe, I thought I’d share what I will bring to our meeting next week. It’s a superb summer recipe and EASY to put together. It tastes great and is an often requested family favorite. You can even make it the day before serving it.
Antipasta Pasta Salad
16 oz. spiral noodles, cooked
1/3 lb. provolone cheese, cubed
1/3 lb. muenster cheese, cubed
1/3 lb. pepperoni, cubed
1/3 lb. salami*, cubed
1 7-oz. can medium size pitted black olives, halved
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 4-oz. jar pimientos
1 Tbsp. tarragon, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Italian salad dressing**
Combine noodles, cheeses, meats, olives, parsley, pimientos,
and seasonings. Toss lightly with ¾ to 1 cup Italian salad
dressing. Marinate overnight in refrigerator. Toss lightly
with ¼ cup more of dressing before serving.
*I usually substitute a favorite summer sausage for the salami.
** I use Kraft’s Zesty Italian or Ken’s Northern Italian
salad dressing.
Annette says
How does that recipe/cookbook club work?
and you need a very sharp knife to cut the kernels off, wait till the cob cools a bit, put a small bowl inside a larger bowl and rest the cob on the small bowl (stem end) as you cut, the kernels fall into the large bowl and you have a nice balancing system with the smaller bowl holding the cob. hope that helps!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Annette, I never would have thought of this 2-bowl method to de-kernel a hot corn cob. I’ll try it the next time I make it. (I’ve been using a folded up paper towel to hold the cob, and that really isn’t a great method.)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, your cookbook club at the library sounds like a lot of fun. I am guessing that you all keep it “seasonal”>>> which would lend itself to a lot of really good month-appropriate holiday recipes. Your “Antipasta Pasta Salad” looks like a really good “one-pot” meal! (I’ve printed it out for my next grocery store run.)
MJ says
Actually the ‘purpose’ of the cookbook club is to increase library circulation. Generally we select a chef that has several books or magazines available from the library, but sometimes select a topic (such as picnics, holiday, appetizers, etc.) So far, we’ve selected Giada de Laurentis, Aaron Brown, Bobby Flay, Nigella Lawson, Rachael Ray, Ellie Krieger, Julia Child, and several others. Then we each choose a recipe from one of their cookbooks and bring it to a meeting for everyone to taste.
What I have found is there are many recipes I would never have tried because they don’t look ‘good’ to me. Invariably they are wonderful and I’ve made many of them for family and friends. One is similar to the one Danna posted – Bobby Flay’s Grilled Corn, Tomato, and Cracked Wheat Salad. It sounded awful to me, but is delicious (and healthy)! Another one is Nigella Lawson’s Clementine Cake where you boil clementines for 2 hours then chop (including peel) in the processor/blender. Really yummy (and even gluten free). We’ve been meeting for about 1½ years. Our branch manager (who really likes cooking), organizes this group.
Danna – a possible future idea for a post on this blog: What is your favorite recipe you’ve made from a cozy mystery?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, your library cookbook club sounds like a lot of fun. As much as I like Bobby Flay, that cracked wheat would have been a turn-off to me.
(Thank you for that great idea for a future blog entry!)
Annette says
MJ thanks so much for the info, sounds like fun.
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
And today I made zucchini soup! Was pretty good for a veggie soup. Used some avocado in place of some cream. Good with toasted bagels and a little cheese sprinkled on top!
I think zucchini season may be just about over though. I have about 5 left, but the plants are not liking this heat!
Janet says
I have a question. In the book, Death Takes the Cake, by Melinda Wells in the recipe for Della’s Orange Dreamsicle Cake she used an orange cake mix. I live in a very small town and am unable to find an orange cake mix. Is there a substitute cake mix that can be used?
The recipes at the back of the book say to use 1 package of orange jell-o, but there are two sizes at the store. Does one use the small package or the large one? Another recipe calls for 1 package of lemon pudding. Again, is it the small size or the large one? Any help would be appreciated.
Thank You!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Janet, I’m sorry, but I don’t know the answer to these ingredient questions. I tried both her Melinda Wells and Linda Palmer websites to see if I could send her the questions, however they have both been closed out.
paula says
Does anyone have a recipe for a dessert I read about in a cozy mystery called Cottage Cheese Pie? I want to try it , but the recipe wasn’t in the book.
Paula Catherine says
Paula,
I have never heard of this type of pie, but was curious. I checked Pinterest and found a recipe. Inhave not tried it but Pini, as I call it, had several recipes. I love checking Pinterest. I have had some flops using the recipes but have found some pretty good ones.
This is the first one I found, including Kimberly’s comments
Kimberly Mueller via Pinintest
Cottage Cheese Pie (AKA Surprise Pie)
unbaked pie crust for a 9″ pie
1 cup cottage cheese
2 rounded Tbs of flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 450. Roll the pie crust out for a 9″ pie pan and put it in the pan.
In a blender or food processor or mixer, blend the cottage cheese until creamy and smooth. Put it in a mixing bowl, if it’s not already there, and add the flour, sugar, salt, and eggs. Mix until smooth. Add the milk and stir it in slowly.
Pour the custard into the pie shell and sprinkle with cinnamon. It has a good chance of boiling over so if you have one of those pie drip pans this is the time to use it! I like to pull the oven rack partially out, put the unfilled pie down on top of the drip pan, then pour in the custard.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 and bake at least another hour. It will by jiggly in the middle, but will firm up as it cools.
I have to say, I love this pie. Really. It is right up there with Buttermilk Pie (which is my favorite) and even the Lemon Cake Pie (different idea, but it is comparable as far as yumminess). mr has a dessert crush on this pie (unrelated, but also true – he has a celebrity crush on ADELE. I think I’m ok with that because I kind of do too. In a platonic way.) He likes it better than cheesecake. (The Cottage Cheese Pie, not ADELE). (Although, maybe ADELE.) Now, I don’t think I would take it that far, but he doesn’t like his desserts as rich as we Wisconsonites like to make them, so I can understand. For the record, mr wants to call it “Cottage Pie” because he thinks it sounds more quaint, charming and “comfort food-y,” but I think that’s too close to what it really is – so wouldn’t that give it away? Also, who doesn’t love that near-rhyme – Surprise Pie… surprise pie… plus you think you’re getting something REALLY special then.
Why is this pie awesome?
1. You totally can not tell it’s made from cottage cheese. I stumped everyone, and only my dad guessed it after one hint.
2. It’s delicious.
3. It’s smooth, not clumpy. If you could feel the little cottage cheese lumps it wouldn’t be nearly as yummy.
4. It’s cheap! Cottage cheese is fairly inexpensive in its own right, but when it’s something you usually buy anyway, that makes it even better. We generally have cottage cheese on hand for our kids, so that means I don’t have to buy something special in order to make dessert – like buttermilk or cream cheese.
5. It’s fairly low cal! I mean, you make a cheesecake and you use like 24 oz of cream cheese or something disgusting but delicious like that. And I’m sorry, but the fat free cream cheese is gross. For this pie you could use light or fat free cottage cheese and not even taste a difference
Paula says
Thanks Catherine. I’m going to try this pie recipe. I’m so curious about the flavor. I really like trying the recipes from the books. They are usually something that I would never think to make.