Biscuits and gravy

Biscuits and gravy are one of the things that Scott almost always orders for breakfast when we go out. This recipe was incredibly easy, and for the most part I almost always have everything in the house for it! I loved having these for dinner with some scrambled eggs and ham! Side note: these were not very good the next day (we did store the gravy and biscuits separately).

I realized when I went to make these that I didn't have buttermilk on hand. Here's a handy tip for a subsitute: Get a one cup measuring cup out, put 1 tablespoon lemon juice in it, and then top the remaining space with milk. Let sit for about five minutes.

The biscuits!

The final product! (Yes, I added some additional pepper, just becasue)

Biscuits and gravy-adapted from Lighten up America! by Cooking Light

Total time: 35 minutes

Serves 6

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1/4 pound pre-cooked breakfast sausage, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon minced onion
• 2 1/4 cups 2% milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir just until moist.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead five times. Take off pieces of the dough into biscuit sized pieces (about 3 1/4 inches), and flatten slightly before placing on a baking sheet coated well with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium  heat. Add sausage, onion, 2 cups milk, sage and black pepper. 

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup milk and 2 1/2 tablespoons flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add to the sausage mixture. Cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes or until sauce is thick and bubbly. Spoon gravy over biscuits.

Asparagus with balsamaic tomatoes

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. It's extremely easy to cook in just olive oil. pepper and salt. This recipe had a bit of an extra kick with the tomatoes, balsamic and feta. It wasn't anything mind blowing, but I did like the change up.

Asparagus with balsamic tomatoes-adapted from Dinner Tonight! by Cooking Light
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes until crisp tender; drain.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and cook for 3 minute minutes. Stir in salt. Place asparagus on a platter, top with tomato mixture, feta and pepper to taste.

Huevos rancheros

I've never made or had huevos rancheros before. Now that I've had them, unless someone tells me they are the best thing ever, I don't know that I would ever order them. There wasn't anything wrong with this recipe, there just wasn't anything that was stand out about it. I'd make it again, but it's nothing I think I'll crave. I also feel like you could just warmed up jarred salsa with some additional spices if you want to save even more time (not that this takes long anyway). Additional plus side-this dish can be gluten free if you use corn tortillas!

Huevos rancheros-adapted from Comfort Food by Cooking Light
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

• 4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can chopped green chiles
• 2 teaspoons chile powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat tortillas with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet. Bake tortillas for about 12 minutes or until crispy.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray and saute onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add green chiles, chile powder, cumin, oregano, tabasco sauce, and diced tomatoes. Cook, for 3 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat and simmer until eggs are cooked.

In a large skillet, heat cooking spray over medium heat. Cook eggs to your preferred method (I used over easy), about 3 minutes or until cooked through.

Top each individual tortilla with about 1/4 cup tomato mixture. Place egg on top and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Whole Wheat Pancakes-adapted from Best Baking Recipes by Cooking Light

Total Time: 15 Minutes

Serves 6

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• Maple syrup and butter for serving

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine butter, milk, oil, egg and egg white, stirring with a whisk. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat paln with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the griddle. Turn pancakes over when the tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Serve with syrup and butter.

Zucchini and Rice Casserole

This was a great casserole! We ate it for a main dish, but it would be a fantastic change up for a side dish too. It would go great with chicken, ham or pork chops. I pretty much love everything with zucchini in it.

Zucchini and Rice Casserole-adapted from Comfort Food by Cooking Light
Total Time: 60 Minutes
Serves 8

• 2 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. IN a large stock pot, bring zucchini, onion and chicken broth to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain; partially mash with a potato masher.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Spoon mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browning.

Apple Kuchen

I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "kuchen" I think of a giant pancake (like the Original Pancake House's Dutch Baby or Apple Pancake). I'm not quite sure where this recipe ended up. I didn't 100% follow it as I didn't include the marmalade. I feel like we always make fun of a place, like Perkins, when they have orange marmalade on the table and say "who eats that?" so I just assumed we wouldn't need it for the recipe.

While this wasn't a bad recipe, I think I was wrong. The marmalade is necessary. Or apple butter. Or something to bring it a bit of moisture. If you're a fan of kuchen, though, definitely let me know what i may have been missing. Or just give this a try and tell me if it's close to what you'd expect...I truly had no idea what to expect when I realized it wasn't a pancake--I just needed to use up some apples!

Apple Kuchen-adapted from Best Baking Recipes by Cooking Light
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 15

• 3 baking apples, peeled, sliced and cored
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves or apple butter
• 2 teaspoons apple juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine apple slices, lemon juice, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss to combine.

Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and baking powder in a medium bowl, stirring well. Place remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined.

Pour batter into a 13x9 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange apples over batter. melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush over apples. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

Combine preserves and apple juice; microwave on high for 30 seconds or until melted, stirring once. Brush mixture over apples; cool.

Broccoli Pork Rice Bowl

This recipe was supposed to be made with chicken, and definitely could still be used with your favorite protein. However, I accidentally took the pork chops out of the freezer thinking they were chicken breasts (I made the mistake of putting them in an unmarked bag).

I added some cayenne pepper and garlic salt to the original recipe for additional flavor. If you aren't a fan of either, play around with your favorite spices! You could also add your favorite veggies to the dish, much like a stir fry.

Broccoli Pork Rice Bowl-adapted from "Reader's Top Rated Recipes" by Cooking Light
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3 cups broccoli, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 8 ounces boneless pork chops, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt, to taste

Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes, or according to package directions. Also, cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook about 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through. Add onions, cheese, cayenne and garlic salt and stir, just until cheese begins to melt. Stir in rice and broccoli. Continue to mix together until well blended and cheese i s melted.

Lemon Orzo Salad

Orzo is one of those pastas that I had no idea what it was before I really got started cooking. It reminds me of a mix between pasta and rice as it's tiny, but a noodle all the same. This recipe has to be one of my favorites. The vegetables included in this recipe and oil-dressing reminded me of Greek-inspired dishes. It was so fresh and filling all the same. Trust me-give it a try!

Lemon Orzo Salad-adapted from Reader's Top Rated Recipes by Cooking Light
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain and place in a large bowl. 

Combine lemon juice and next five ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over orzo; toss to coat. Add chicken, vegetables and cheese and toss gently to combine.

Fried Rice with Sweet Soy Sauce

Finding the ultimate homemade fried rice recipe is one of my goals. Fried rice is one of my favorite things when I order Chinese takeout. We have a rice cooker that we absolutely love as I've found the perfect ratio of rice to water that makes perfect rice every time.

This recipe wasn't quite the perfect one for me. The serrano chile made this a little too spicy for me, and I don't think I'd keep that in the recipe next time. Otherwise the flavors were fine and I'd make it again. I served it with chicken marinated in sweet chile and hoisin sauce.

Fried Rice with Sweet Soy Sauce-adapted from Cooking Light's Dinner Tonight!

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 chopped serrano chile (which I will be omitting next time-it was too hot for me)
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced radishes
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium high heat. Cook eggs until set, turning once. Remove eggs from pan and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together soy sauce and brown sugar to make sweet soy sauce.

Turn up heat on pan to high, and add in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir fry shallot, garlic and chile for 1 minute. Add rice and stir fry for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cooked eggs, sweet soy cauce, salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Top with radishes and herbs. Serve with protein of your choice.

Cajun Cornmeal Crusted Fish

This recipe called for catfish, but I used swai instead and it ended up delicious! The cajun seasoning adds a lot to this simple fish recipe. Also, the amount of cornmeal mix was perfect-I didn't have a ton leftover like I normally do with breading meats.

Cajun Cornmeal Crusted Fish-adapted from Cooking Light's 'Comfort Food'
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3 bacon slices
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
• 4 fish fillets

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; reserve 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Reserve bacon for another use.

Combine cornmeal and cajun seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in cornmeal mixture. Heat reserved drippings in pan over medium-high heat. Add fillets; cook 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.