Gooseberry Patch

Menu of the Week from One-Pot Meals!

We just love the cozy feeling to sitting down with our family to enjoy a home-cooked dinner. It's even better when dinner is cooked in just one pot or pan, isn't it? If you're looking for a way to relax with loved ones while a full-of-flavor dinner simmers away, our latest Menu of the Week is for you!

Filled with recipes that cook up simply, either on the stovetop, in the oven or slow cooker, or even on the grill, this sample collection from One-Pot Meals is sure to simplify this week's dinnertime.

Mix & match them all week long and let us know how you liked them...we love to hear from you in the comments. As always, when you follow us on Twitter, you'll get an additional recipe EVERY DAY of the week. Can't wait for more? Visit our Recipe Collection and find plenty to sample from  One-Pot Meals!

Click the links below to view recipes...click the book below
to learn even more about it or add it to your collection!

 

Slow-Cooker Fajitas

Oven Chicken Cordon Bleu

Grilled Herb Potatoes

Chinese Beef & Noodles

Blue Crab Salad

Microwave Cherry Crisp Cobbler

 

 

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Want to learn more about  One-Pot Meals or
add it to your cookbook collection? Click below!

 

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Rounding Up for this Weekend!

From hometown parades and backyard barbecues to picnics in the park complete with fireworks, Memorial Day weekend almost always includes time to celebrate with family & friends. We LOVE this kickoff to Summer and are keeping our fingers crossed for sunshine...maybe it'll even be warm enough for a trip through the sprinkler!

So tell us...

 

What are YOUR favorite MEMORIAL DAY recipes?
Share 'em all in today's Recipe Round-Up!

 

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Here's one of our favorites from Ready, Set, Eat!. ..visit our
Recipes Collection for lots more goodies from this cookbook.

Yummy Blue Cheese Burgers
Lynn Daniel of Portage, Michigan, shared this recipe with us...they're sure to be a hit this weekend!

2 lbs. ground beef
Cajun seasoning to taste
1 c. half-and-half
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried basil
4-oz. container crumbled blue cheese
6 kaiser rolls, split, toasted and buttered
Optional: sliced mushrooms, sliced onion, butter

Form ground beef into 6 patties; sprinkle with Cajun seasoning to taste. Grill to desired doneness. Combine half-and-half, garlic and herbs in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; simmer until thickened and reduced by half. Add blue cheese; stir just until melted. Place burgers on rolls; spoon sauce over burgers. If desired, sauté mushrooms and onion in butter until tender; spoon onto burgers. Serves 6.

 

Even if you don't have a blog to link below, tell us about YOUR recipe in the comments or, if you have a moment, share it with us on our website!

 

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Link up your favorite MEMORIAL DAY recipes below
and, if you're joining this hop, link back
here by using the handy button below.

Want to add this hop to your OWN blog?

Be our guest...just click here to get the code.

Come back this Sunday to see which linked recipe were the favorites of our blog readers...we'll tally up the "likes" on Friday. Add yours and YOU could be featured!

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Want to share these recipes with a friend? Use the buttons below!

A Market-Inspired Menu of the Week!

Friendly chatter, cheery farm stands, bushels of produce, baskets of fruit and Mason jars overflowing with just-picked blooms...the farmers' market is in full swing!

With everything in sight locally grown, there's just no better place to find the absolute freshest foods...this amazing selection available right in our neighborhoods was our inspiration for Farmers' Market Favorites. 

We've selected 6 recipes from this nationally bestselling cookbook for our latest Menu of the Week...you can mix & match 'em all week long! Even if your local market isn't open yet, you'll still find plenty of ways to use grocery-fresh produce too.

Follow us on Twitter and get an additional recipe EVERY DAY this week too! Click over to our Online Recipe Box for LOTS more from Farmers' Market Favorites!

 

Berry-Picker’s Reward Muffins
Shared with us by Nancy Porter of Fort Wayne, Indiana, this recipe is just as yummy with blueberries and strawberries too. Use your favorites and give your family their own rewards!

1/2 c. margarine, softened
1-1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
8-oz. container sour cream
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. raspberries
3 T. margarine, melted

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat softened margarine for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Blend in eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Use a spoon to stir in dry ingredients until just moistened; fold in berries. Spoon batter into paper-lined or greased muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean. Brush tops of hot muffins with melted margarine; sprinkle with topping. Cool in pan for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes 20.

Topping:

2 T. sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

 

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms
Sent to us by longtime contributor, Francie Stutzman of Dalton, Ohio, these are perfect for parties but make a delicious side dish for big family get-togethers too! She writes, "Oh, are these so good! Depending on the size of the mushrooms, this makes 40 to 50."

1 lb. whole mushrooms
1/4 c. oil, divided
1/4 c. onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 lb. cooked ham, ground
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1 t. fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Remove mushroom stems and chop enough to equal 1/2 cup. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat; add mushroom caps and stir to coat with oil. Remove and set aside on paper towels to drain. Add chopped stems to skillet with onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet; drizzle tops with remaining oil. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 40 to 50 stuffed mushrooms.

 

Town Square Favorite
Tiffany Brinkley of Broomfield, Colorado shared this recipe with us. She writes, "A visit with friends for the weekend took us to a terrific farmers’ market on the town square. We filled our baskets to overflowing with veggies, herbs, sunflowers, even cheese…what a day! That same day, we made these yummy open-faced sandwiches for dinner."

3 T. butter
1-1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. red onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. garlic, finely chopped
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
4 bagels, split
8-oz. pkg. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 tomatoes, sliced

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in all ingredients except bagels, cheese and tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Arrange bagels on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over each bagel half. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven; top each with one slice tomato. Spoon on vegetable mixture; top with remaining cheese. Continue baking 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.

 

Honey-Garlic Steak
Athena Colegrove of Big Springs, Texas shared this tweaked-to-perfection recipe wiht us. She writes, "The honey-garlic sauce is the secret...what a blend of flavors!"

1-lb. boneless beef steak
6 T. honey-garlic barbecue sauce, divided
2 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 c. green pepper, sliced
1 c. onion, sliced
2 T. soy sauce
cooked rice

Brush each side of steak with one tablespoon barbecue sauce; set aside. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; stir in remaining ingredients, except soy sauce and rice. Sauté 10 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Meanwhile, grill steak over medium-low flame for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time. Add soy sauce and remaining barbecue sauce to vegetables; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes. Transfer steak to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil and set aside 5 minutes. To serve, uncover steak, slice and spoon vegetables over top. Serve with rice alongside. Serves 4.

 

Tangy Summer Slaw
This coleslaw recipe was shared with us by Myra Tunanidis of New Cumberland, West Virginia. It's bursting with fresh flavors...you must give it a try!

1 head red cabbage, shredded
1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
16-oz. bottle red wine vinegar & oil salad dressing
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. caraway seed
salt and pepper to taste

Toss together vegetables in a large serving bowl; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

 

Peach Flip-Overs
This new twist on hand-pies was shared by Melissa Luck West Plains, Missouri. She writes, "I had so many peaches from the farmers’ market, that I popped the extras in the freezer. Try them with peach ice cream…perfect for this recipe!"

2 to 3 peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced
2 t. butter
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
2 to 3 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. sugar
1 to 2 t. vanilla extract
8-oz. tube refrigerated crescent rolls
ground ginger to taste
Garnish: powdered sugar, cinnamon

Add peaches, butter, spices, sugars and vanilla to a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes; reduce heat to low. Separate and arrange crescent roll dough on a lightly greased baking sheet; sprinkle with ginger. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top each with one tablespoon peach mixture. Roll into a crescent; secure with a toothpick. Return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Makes 8 servings.

 

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Want to learn more about Farmers' Market Favorites or
add it to your cookbook collection? Click below!

 

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See What Jamie is Cookin' Up!

It's been awhile since we've shined the Gooseberry Patch spotlight on a favorite blogger...we're excited to bring back Featured Friday today!

We recently discovered Jamie's blog and since that very first day, we've been looking forward to the new recipes she shares. Lucky for us, there's a new one practically every day!

The food she makes is amazing, her photos make you feel like you're right there in the kitchen and her friendly and funny personality really comes through, especially in the posts about her kids.

Judging by her recipes, we'd say she's mastered family-friendly dinners, crowd-pleasing appetizers and quick & easy desserts...her weekend breakfast & brunch ideas make us wish we lived closer so we could drop in!

We love her monthly menu plans and how she can take flavors that are familiar and come up with a new way to enjoy them...a few clicks around her blog and you'll see just what we mean.

Without further ado, we're excited to introduce you
to this week's Featured Friday blogger...

Jamie Cooks It Up!

We asked Jamie to share a little bit about herself, her blog and how
she got started...keep reading to hear from her!

 

Tell us about yourself, your family and where you live.

I’m a 37 year old mother of five. My kids range in age from 14 down to 5. My husband, children and I live in Herriman, Utah.

 

What or who originally inspired you to start blogging?

One day several years ago, I was searching for a recipe online. I had never seen a food blog before, but came across a very simple one that day. Wow! I thought. Food Blogging! That could be a lot of fun. I did a bit of blog hopping and could see that people were making money at it. I was interested in making a little extra money for my family and wondered if food blogging might be a way to do so. I did some research, took a few ugly pictures of some fabulous recipes and had my blog up and running just two months later.

 

As a full-time mom of five, how do you find time to develop new recipes, write and take photos to share?

I suppose I could best describe it as “here a little, there a little”. I’m always trying to sneak work time in around my family life. I try to cook and take photos for my blog a couple times a week, during the day before my older kids come home from school. I edit photos and write posts after the kids are in bed and then again in the early morning hours.

I have two sweet little twin boys who haven’t started school yet, and are home with me during the day. I try to include them in my cooking as much as possible. Some times they like it, and sometimes they’d just rather be running through the house like wild Indians. So, sometimes we cook, and sometimes we chase each other through the house. In the fall they will go to kindergarten and I’ll be left to cook in silence. Could be good, could be bad. It could be a little bit of both. It would be pretty weird to run through the house like a wild Indian by myself, right?

 

How did you get your start in the kitchen?

When I got married, the only thing I knew how to cook was Pioneer Taffy. I’m serious here! I had a job hosting birthday parties at The Lion House and was required to know how to cook taffy for the kids to pull. Once I started to have kids of my own, and stayed at home raising them, cooking became a creative outlet for me.

I’ve made a lot of REALLY average food in my life. (I’m serious again. Just ask my kids.) I’m always on the look out for ways to make recipes taste better, and better…and fabulously better. I only put recipes that taste “fabulously better” up on my blog.

 

 

Quick! You have 30 minutes to put dinner on the table...what do you fix?

My latest favorite “quick fix” meal is Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Tortellini.

 

 

With SO many recipes to choose from on your blog, which is your favorite?

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
Time: 3 hours to marinate + 20 minutes grilling time
Yield: 5 servings

4-5 boneless skinless
    chicken breasts
1 C Kraft Light Zesty Italian
    salad dressing
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1 T olive oil
2 t balsamic vinegar
freshly cracked salt
    and pepper
1 1/2 T fresh basil
2 C mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
8  oz. spaghetti noodles
2 T butter
salt and pepper

1. Throw your chicken breasts and 1 C of the salad dressing into a gallon sized zip loc freezer bag. Carefully seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 3 and up to 24 hours. Then pat yourself on the back for getting your act together and having a plan for dinner....right in the middle of the summer. Good for you. I'm so proud to know ya.

2. Just before you are ready to grill your chicken, make the Bruschetta. Chop all the tomatoes in half and toss them into a medium sized mixing bowl.

3. Peel your garlic and chop it into rough pieces. Then chop up your basil. If you have some growing fresh in your garden....bless your beautiful hide. You are a better woman (or man) than I am. If you live within 25 miles of here, I sure hope you like to share.

4. Pour in your balsamic vinegar and drizzle the olive oil over the top.

5. Sprinkle some freshly cracked salt and pepper, stir it all up and then taste it. Yes...dig right in. If your tomatoes are lacking in sweetness then add just a bit of sugar. You don't want to kill it over with sweetness now. Just give it a bit of help if your tomatoes are lacking. Adjust the salt and pepper as well, if needed.

6. Get your mozzarella cheese grated.

7. Head out to the grill and cook your chicken up over medium high heat. While it's cooking boil some water and cook your spaghetti noodles.

8. When the chicken is cooked through, turn the grills temperature down to low. Place a disposable 9x13 pan onto the grill. Put your cooked chicken into the pan. Cover the chicken with the Bruschetta.

9. Sprinkle it with the Mozzarella cheese and then cover the grill. Let it cook for 7-10 more minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese in nicely melted.

10. Toss your cooked pasta with 2 T butter and sprinkle it with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pasta with this beautiful chicken and bruschetta. Be sure to get all of the yummy juices from the pan as well. Sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

 

Morning person or night owl?

Morning person, most definitely. The world just seems to be a bit clearer in the mornings.

 

Aside from family & friends, what 5 things couldn't you live without?

My faith, a good book to read, my camera, something to laugh about and something fun to cook.

 

 

 

Cake or pie?

Blueberry Sour Cream Pie, please. But I would take a Coconut Cream Cupcake any day of the week.

 

 

 

If you could design your ideal kitchen, what would be in it?

We recently remodeled our kitchen. I love it every, single, solitary day. Plenty of room to make a big fat mess and plenty of room for people to visit me while I make a mess.

 

If you could spend a whole day (guilt-free!) doing something you love, what would it be?

I would read a fantastic book, cuddle with my sweetheart, eat some chocolate, play cards with my kids, go to lunch with some friends, laugh a lot, eat chocolate a lot, more cuddling, more reading.

 

Tell us something that no one would guess about you.

I play the piano and have a degree in Choral Music Education, though some of my children act surprised when I sit down to play. They may, or may not have been heard saying things like “Holy cow! Is that our Mom playing the piano? Wow. Who knew?”

 

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Jamie...we can't wait to see what you'll cook up next!

Visit Jamie Cooks It Up today and you'll find a fun party idea as well as a giveaway! Visit her blog ANY day and you're bound to find something tasty to share with YOUR family & friends. While you're there, you might as well subscribe...you won't want to miss a single recipe!

 

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Have a great blog that you'd like to see featured here?
Leave the link in the comments...we're always on the hunt
for new favorites!

 

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