Sam's Hash Browns

While making these pancakes, I suggested to Sam that he cook up some raw potatoes we had that wouldn't fit in the roast we ate earlier in the week. I told him he could do whatever he wanted since I wasn't going to eat them anyway. Here's what he did:

Cook some bacon and keep all the grease in the pan.
Dice some small red potatoes into 1/4 inch cubes.
Reheat the grease and put the potatoes in. Salt and pepper generously.
Cook them for a little while (3 minutes?) and decide they're not going quickly enough. Cover with a pan lid and cook until tender and crispy, stirring occasionally.

Needless to say, these taste like the best french fry you'll ever eat. I ate at least 1/3 of them.

Triple Grain Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

The holy grail of pancake recipes, as far as I'm concerned. I've been making pancakes nearly weekly playing with measurements of ingredients and finally hit the sweet spot once I added some corn meal.

Makes 12-18 pancakes. You can freeze what you don't eat and microwave them for 1 minute to thaw.

• 1 C white whole wheat flour (as opposed to the regular "whole grain flour" you buy at the grocery store, which I think is red wheat)
• 1/2 C oat flour (put oatmeal in the blender or food processor and blend till floury)
• 1/4 C corn meal
• 1/4 C all purpose flour
• 2 heaping TBSP ground flax seeds
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4-1/3 C sugar (you can make some of this brown sugar for a caramel-ier taste)
  
  
• 2 C buttermilk (substitute 1 C milk + 1 TBSP vinegar or lemon juice + 1 C plain yogurt if you don't have buttermilk)
• 2 large eggs
• 4 TBSP melted butter, cooled enough that it won't cook the eggs
  
  
• blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed slightly
  
• butter for frying
• real maple syrup
  

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls.
Heat your griddle to 350-375 degrees.
Whisk wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
Put your maple syrup in the microwave.
Rub the griddle with butter.
Pour approx 1/4 C of batter to make 1 pancake. Once it's cooked a little, place 5 blueberries on the side of the pancake facing up.
Turn the pancakes when bubbles are forming on the top, edges are solidifying, and bottom is browned.
Eat with butter and warmed maple syrup, or this cream cheese frosting.

"Minestrone" Soup

I got this recipe from my History of Food professor, Jim Faulconer, in London 2005. He calls it minestrone, but it is nothing like any other minestrone I've ever had and everything like every Italian wedding soup I've ever had. Either way, it's really good. You could substitute some kale for the spinach if you wanted.

serves 4-6

2 T olive oil
1/4 lb Italian sausage, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 bay leaf
1 can white beans
1 can garbanzo beans/chick peas
salt and pepper
8 C chicken stock
1 C small shell pasta
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
10 oz spinach, clean and coarsely chopped (any dark greens work)
1/2 C freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano or romano cheese, plus extra for topping
12-16 leaves fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade-- substitute 1/4 C chopped parsley if necessary (don't tell Jim, but we used dried basil. just know fresh is way better)

Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. When the bottom of the pot is hot, add the olive oil and turn the pan to distribute the oil.

Saute the sausage for two minutes.

Add the onions, celery, garlic, zucchini, and bay leaf.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add white beans, garbanzo beans, and chicken broth.
Cover and bring to a boil.

Add pasta and green beans to the boiling broth, and cook 8 minutes or until pasta is barely tender.

Stir in the spinach. When it is wilted-- about 1 minute-- stir in the grated cheese.

Ladle soup into bowls and top each bowl with a bunch of basil chiffonade or chopped parsley.

Creamy White Chili

Creamy White Chili
7 Servings

1 lb cubed chicken (or 2 lbs)-- any left over chicken, especially rotisserie is good
1 med onion, chopped
1.5 tsp garlic powder-- we use fresh garlic
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cans (15.5 oz) Great Northern Beans-- any white bean will work. we use 2 different sizes for variety
1 can of chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
.5 tsp pepper
.25 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
.5 cup whipping cream

Directions
Sautee chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil
Add beans, broth, seasonings, and boil
Simmer down for 30 minutes
Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and whipping cream

Really Gross Macaroni and Peanut Butter

1 Package of macaroni and cheese
3 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk

Boil water and cook macaroni until tender.  Discard cheese package. Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Mix in peanut butter.  Pour over boiled macaroni.  Stir until well mixed.  Serves three.

Note: This is competely disgusting and you should not try it. It is an ugly greyish brown color and tastes even worse. I just thought for scientific integrity that I should publish negative results as well as positive, to avoid skewing the statistics.

French Toast Dip-- Anna's first recipe

Anna made this little creation for dipping her french toast tonight. I asked her if I could have some and she shook her head no. I dipped anyway and I was severely reprimanded. And after having tasted it, I can see why. It was delicious! Once I told her how much I liked it and what a fabulous cook she was, she had even more fun mixing and stirring.

Ingredients:

maple syrup
applesauce
cinnamon

Directions:

Mix and dip :)

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

from 17andbaking





This is one showstopper of a cake. Triple layer, lusciously moist, not too sweet. I dream about this kind of cake. I want to try it again with some chocolate butter cream frosting to get an ultimate chocolate experience.

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake
Including Sour Cream Chocolate Cake from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes
Makes a three layer 8″ cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
Raspberry Ganache (recipe follows)
2/3 cup raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8″ cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter again. [ I just buttered and dusted with cocoa. It was extremely hard to get the cakes out - don't skip the parchment paper.](Note from Heather: I just buttered and floured my pans well and had no problem getting the cakes out. Also, I used 9" pans since that's what I had and it turned out fine.)

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the oil and sour cream, then gradually beat in the water. Add the vinegar and vanilla and mix to combine, and finally beat in the eggs until the batter is well combined. Divide among the three cake pans.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out almost clean. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment paper, letting the cakes cool completely. These cakes are very soft, and it helps to freeze them for 15 minutes at this point. While the cakes cool, make the Raspberry Ganache.

If the cakes are not flat, use a serrated knife to even the tops. Place one layer onto a parchment-lined cardboard cut out and spread 1/3 cup raspberry jam. Cover the jam with a thin, 1/4″ thick layer of raspberry ganache. Top with the second layer and repeat. Then invert the final layer and place on top.

To frost the cake, start with a crumb coat: barely cover the entire cake with a thin, see through layer of ganache. This is to help create a smooth finish later. Chill the cake for 10 minutes.

Frost the cake with the remaining raspberry ganache and top with fresh raspberries. I would recommend leaving the cake at room temperature to prevent the ganache from becoming too brittle.

Raspberry Ganache
Makes just enough to fill and frost a three layer 8″ cake

15 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped * (Note from Heather: I used about 2 C bittersweet Ghiradelli chocolate chips since that's what I had. It worked fine.)
1 2/3 cups frozen raspberries
8 oz (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Bring an inch or two of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. As the water heats, microwave the raspberries in 1 minute intervals, stirring and mashing with a fork, until they become a smooth liquid. Pour through a strainer (should yield 1/3 cup raspberry juice) and set aside to cool.

Place the chopped chocolate and the butter in a large heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan. The bowl should not touch the water or fall more than halfway into the saucepan. Stir until the chocolate and butter melt, then gradually add in the slightly warm raspberry juice, whisking to combine.

(Note from Heather: I just microwaved the butter and chocolate together at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until it was almost melted. Then I stirred till it was all melted, added the raspberry juice, and let it cool.)

Take the ganache off the heat and let cool until spreadable, stirring once in a while.

* The ganache was almost too sweet, but I used a combination of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate. Use the bitterest, darkest chocolate possible to counteract the sweetness of the berries.

Roasted Pork Loin with Pearl Onions

from Martha Stewart

Serves 4

• 1 boneless center-cut pork loin roast, (2 pounds)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
• 1 pound frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. 1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rub pork with salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons mustard. On a plate, season breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Coat top and sides of roast with breadcrumbs, leaving ends uncoated.
2. 2 In a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan, toss onions with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Place pork in center of pan; roast 15 minutes. Turn onions; cook 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; stir onions to coat.Continue cooking until onions are caramelized, pork juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 140 degrees. 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove pork and onions from pan; let meat rest 20 minutes before slicing.
3. 3 While meat is resting, add 1/2 cup water and remaining teaspoon mustard to pan. Cook over medium heat, scraping up browned bits. Stir until sauce is fully blended, 3 to 5 minutes; serve with pork and onions.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Roasted Pork Loin With Pearl Onions - Martha Stewart Recipes

Catskills Cubano

From the panini book. This sandwich is way awesomer than you could ever imagine.

Serves 2-- do the math for more

2 Ciabatta rolls or sliced ciabatta bread
2 Tbsp yellow mustard
4 thin slices (about 2 oz) sliced swiss cheese
2 tsps finely chopped pickled jalepenos or more to taste
4 thin slices (about 2 oz) serrano ham, prosciutto, or cured ham
4 thin slices (about 2 oz) roast pork*

Slice open rolls and spread 1 Tbsp mustard on bread. Place cheese on mustard. Sprinkle with 1 tsp jalepenos. Lay on 2 slices of ham. Top with pork. Cover with top half of roll. Grill on a panini press, George Foreman grill, or on your stove, 4-7 min or until bread is golden brown.

*I use this recipe for roasted pork loin for a meal earlier in the week and use the leftovers for this sandwich.

Tortellini Salad

I had something like this at a ward potluck and recreated it at home

Romaine lettuce
Pepperoni or pepperocini
Black olives
Fresh mozzarella (chopped up or made in little balls)
cooked cheese tortellini
chopped red bell pepper
cherry tomatoes

Really good italian dressing

Toss it all and eat. I liked that the tortellinis were still warm.

Roasted Pork Chops with Butternut Squash and Kale

Another hugely satisfying dish with flavors we don't usually have. I loved the kale and didn't expect to.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/roasted-pork-chops-and-butternut-squash-with-kale-00000000049713/index.html

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 30m | Total Time: 55m
Ingredients
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds)—peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves (I used dried sage)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 bone-in pork chops (each 1 inch thick; about 2 pounds total)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large bunch kale, thick ribs removed and leaves roughly chopped (about 14 cups)

Directions
1.Heat oven to 400° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the sage, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
2.When the squash has cooked for 20 minutes, heat 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
3.Transfer the pork to the baking sheet with the squash and roast until the pork is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes more.
4.Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the kale, ¼ cup water, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, tossing the kale and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the skillet, until the kale is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with the pork and squash.

Seafood Paella

http://www.parents.com/recipe/rice/seafood-paella/

One of the best things we've eaten in weeks. Easy to prepare and different from our usual fare.

I would recommend this in the slow cooker. It was really flavorful that way and I don't think it would be as flavorful with a shorter cooking time.

Also, note that it is 5 TOTAL hours of cooking time, not 4.


Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6 servings

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped assorted colored sweet peppers (I used about twice this much)
1/2 cup chopped onion
(I also added some diced carrots)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked regular brown rice
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
12 oz. fresh or frozen shrimp in shells, thawed, peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
12 oz. tilapia fillets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
Directions

1. Coat a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; add peppers, onion, and garlic and set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the broth, rice, thyme, crushed red pepper, and turmeric. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4 minutes or until just boiling. Pour over vegetables in cooker.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 hours. Stir in shrimp, tilapia, and peas. Cover; cook 45 minutes more, stirring once. Remove cooker from liner; let stand, covered, for 10 minutes (fish should flake, shrimp should be opaque, and rice should be tender). Makes 6 servings.

Stovetop Method: In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sweet peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir for 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in crushed red pepper, turmeric and rice. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and thyme; bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add shrimp, tilapia, and peas. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more or until rice is tender, shrimp are opaque, and fish flakes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Curried Chicken Legs with Carrots, Rice, and Lime

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/curried-chicken-legs-with-carrots-rice-and-lime


Serves 4

4 whole chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs), about 3 pounds total
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 pounds carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths, halved lengthwise if thick
1 cup brown or white basmati rice
2 limes, zest slivered and juice squeezed
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place chicken in the center of a large rimmed baking sheet; season with curry powder, salt, and pepper. Scatter carrots around chicken. Roast, occasionally brushing chicken and tossing carrots with pan drippings, until chicken is cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a small saucepan with a lid, bring 2 cups water to a boil; season with salt and pepper. Add rice; return to a boil. Stir, and reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and scatter lime zest over rice. Cover pan, and let steam 5 to 10 minutes.
3.Transfer chicken to a plate. Sprinkle lime juice over carrots (still on hot baking sheet); toss, scraping up and incorporating any browned bits. Fluff rice gently with a fork; serve with chicken and carrots.
.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Curried Chicken Legs with Carrots, Rice, and Lime - Martha Stewart Recipes

Cheese Burgers

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/dining/012brex.html?emc=eta1

Adapted from Michael David, Comme Ça, Los Angeles

Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 to 2 hours’ chilling


2 pounds ground beef chuck, 80 percent lean

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon ketchup

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of chili powder

1 cup finely shredded iceberg lettuce

4 light brioche buns (see recipe) or other large hamburger buns, split

1/4 pound thinly sliced medium-sharp Cheddar cheese

4 thin onion slices.



1. Lightly shape meat into 4 4-by-1-inch patties, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a hot fire on a grill, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle each burger all over with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and season generously with black pepper. Sear burgers on grill or in skillet for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer burgers to a broiler pan and bake for 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove pan from oven. Position an oven rack closest to broiler element, and heat broiler to high.

3. In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise with ketchup, cayenne and chili powder, and season with salt and black pepper. Add lettuce and stir to coat. Toast buns. Top burgers with Cheddar and broil until cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Set burgers on bottom buns and top with lettuce and onion slices. Cover with top bun and serve, whole or cut in half.

Yield: 4 to 8 servings.

Cheesecake

The basic cheesecake recipe I use. Nothin fancy.

Crust:
A package of Oreos. Off-brand cheap Oreos will work just fine.
1/2 stick of margarine or butter.
2 tbs water.

Filling
24 oz. of cream cheese. It needs to be the kind in the cardboard
boxes, not the tub. I'm pretty sure that that's 3 of the little boxes.
It has to sit out for at least 30 minutes before it starts to bake.

break and beat briefly
add



2 eggs
8 oz. sour cream (half a normal-size package)
1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla



The equivalent of a bag of fun-size Snickers. It can be whatever
flavor you want, really.

Glaze. This is optional. It's good, but you don't have to have it.
Totally your call.
1 cup of chocolate chips
2 tbsp. butter
5 oz. whipping cream.

350 degrees for 1 hour

Stuffed Pizza Bites

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/06/stuffed-pizza-rolls.html

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
marinara/pizza sauce (click here to make your own)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust. I used thin crust when taking these pictures.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares (bet ya didn't see that one comin' did ya?)

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it's for dipping after) You guys are smart, right? Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind. For these ones pictured I used a teaspoon each of cheese, canadian bacon, and pineapple.


When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I've used both and there's not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese. (In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute this garlic bread seasoning.)

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.

Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.



The outsides are like garlic bread and the insides are full of oozing cheese. This might just be a perfect food.

Chicken Enchiladas

What I use when someone in the ward needs a meal

Chicken Enchiladas

8-10 Flour Tortillas
2 (9oz) cans of Enchilada sauce
1/2 lb. Cheddar Cheese grated
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack grated
1/3 cup Green Onions chopped
1/3 cup Black Olives
1/4 cup Cilantro finely chopped
4 Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded
1 large spoonful of Sour cream

Mix cheeses, olives, green onions, cilantro, chicken, sour cream and some of enchilada sauce together in a large bowl. In a shallow dish (pie plate) pour the remaining enchilada sauce and dip tortillas in sauce and fill with filling; wrap up. Place enchiladas in 9x13 pan, top with any remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Spicy Molasses Cookies

My new favorite Christmas cookie exchange standby

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/12/spicy-molasses-cookies-seriously-delicious/

Ingredients
•1 cup Sugar
•¾ cups Crisco (vegetable Shortening)
•¼ cups Molasses
•1 whole Egg
•2 cups Flour
•2-½ teaspoons Baking Soda
•1 teaspoon Cinnamon
•1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
•½ teaspoons Ground Cloves
•¼ teaspoons Ground Cardamom
•¼ teaspoons Salt
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix sugar, shortening, molasses, and egg together until well combined. Dump in dry ingredients, stirring dry ingredients together lightly. Mix together until dough is combined.

In your hands roll dough into walnut-sized balls, then generously coat each ball with sugar. Place balls on a baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, allowing to bake for about a minute after cookies begin to crack.

Remove cookies from baking sheet and allow to cool…though these are delicious while still warm.

Fun variation: drizzle melted white chocolate in decorative stripes over the top of each cookie. Allow to harden before serving. Or: dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate. Yum.

Another fun variation: make sandwiches using two cookies and a scoop of cinnamon ice cream. Yikes.

Another really fun variation: eat all the cookies yourself, then hide all the evidence.

Belgian Waffle Cookies

This recipe is from Pat Rodgers. It's on the same page as the toffee in the yellow recipe book.

1 lb butter
2 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
6 c flour

Plug in your waffle iron so it is pre-heating.

Cream the butter; add the sugars and cream some more. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again. Sift the salt into the flour and add the flour to the creamed mixture. Only mix until the flour is all evenly distributed.

Drop spoonfuls of dough - about a tablespoon - onto the hot waffle iron far enough apart that they don't touch when you close the lid. I find that 4 or 5 fit on mine. Cook until lightly golden : this only takes a couple of minutes so stick around. It's OK to open and check. Flip finished cookies off the grill with a fork and place on a plate to cool.

When cool, put in airtight container. They'll keep for a month.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin (I add a few heaping spoonfuls more, maybe 1/4 cup)
1 egg
2 tbs oil
2 tbs vinegar
2 cups flour
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil, and vinegar. Combine in a separate bowl, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture and stir just enough to combine. Cook like normal pancakes.

Lemon Yogurt Chicken

Lemon Yogurt Chicken-- from Lesli who got it from Genevieve

about 1 lb chicken--chop in pieces

coat with flour (in bowl)

butter in pan

brown chicken on both sides on high heat (about a minute or less)

reduce heat to low

add garlic (optional)

add plain yogurt (1 cup)

add outer part of lemon peel (grate it into the chicken)

(optional) add juice from lemon

optional --add herbs

add salt to taste (not optional)

you cook the chicken on low heat so it's tender, but make sure it's all the way or most of the way cooked before you add the yogurt because you don't want to cook it very long with the yogurt in or the yogurt will separate. It still tastes good but the texture is much worse.

Lazy Sourdough Apple Pancakes

Lazy Sourdough Starter

Begin by making this lazy sourdough starter in the evening, and the next morning, enjoy Sourdough Apple Pancakes (below).

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water

1. In a plastic bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, whisking with a wooden spoon.
2. Add flour and beat well.
3. Transfer to a large container such as a gallon bucket or jar. Cover loosely with a towel and let sit overnight at room temperature. Starter should triple in size.
4. In the morning, beat again with a wooden spoon. Starter is now ready to use.

Lazy Sourdough Apple Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups lazy sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 apple, washed

1. Quarter and core the apple, then lay one piece on its side. Slice thinly.

2. In a large bowl combine sourdough starter and all remaining ingredients. Beat well.

3. Add sliced apples and stir to coat.

4. Heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add a few drops of oil and use a spatula to coat the bottom of the pan.

5. Ladle pancake batter into the middle of the pan, making sure to include a few apple slices in the mix.

6. Cook until small bubbles form on the top of the pancake and the underside is golden. Flip pancake and continue to cook.

7. Transfer to a pate or holding platter. Serve with maple syrup, apple sauce or apple butter, and cinnamon-spiced whipped cream.

I really liked these with unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon on top, but they're also really good with syrup.

Butter pecan hot drink

Go sledding.
Come inside.
Take off your coat and boots.
Put on Christmas music.
Fill one glass to the top with high quality butter pecan ice cream. You might add a little milk.
Put it in the microwave for 90 seconds. There will be a full head of foam.
Salt lightly.
Drink while still hot.

Cream Cheese Frosting

The frosting was to die for.

Here's the proportion. Make as much as you need.

2 oz cream cheese (at room temp) to 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup.

Whip with a whisk till creamy.

Your future pancakes, carrot cakes, waffles, apple-spice muffins, and ginger cookies will thank you. Your self-control will not.

From here: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/carrot-cake-recipe.html

Poor Man's Cake

This is the cake I make for Peter's birthday. It's "Sugar Free" if you don't count carrots, raisins and honey as sugar, which Peter's metabolism evidently doesn't. I generally make a half batch since it fits in the blender better, and we don't really need all that cake. You really do want whole wheat for this recipe. White gives it an entirely different flavor and texture that the recipe wasn't designed for.


In a bowl mix together:
4 c whole wheat flour (2) 1/2 - 1 tsp salt (1/2)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (3/4)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda (3/4)
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (3/4)

In a blender put:
3/4 c oil (3/8)
3/4 c honey (3/8)
1 1/2 - 2 cups water (3/4 - 1)
2 carrots (1-2)
2 eggs optional (1)

Beat both mixtures together. Add 1/2 - 1 cup raisins (1/2) if desired.

Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes until done.

mango salsa

My own mango salsa recipe. I can't get enough of this stuff. Mix it all together. Eat it with chips or use it on fish tacos or quesadillas.

1 large mango, diced
1 or 2 green onions, diced
some cilantro, diced
juice of 1 lime
1/4 to 1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
salt to taste

fish tacos

My own fish taco recipe

Dredge fish in milk or egg mixed with sriracha sauce, then flour, bake @ 375 for 15-20 min, turning once on well oiled pan

Baja cream

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lime peel
• Pinch of salt
• some cayenne pepper
  

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fish-Taco-Platter-233703#ixzz0gltrz7GH

RED CABBAGE (Napa Cabbage)

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage (4 C) with the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat up corn tortillas on the stove for a bit

Serve with fresh guacamole and mango salsa

shrimp, egg, and cabbage fried rice

I had some cabbage and shrimp to use up before moving and made this stuff. It's rich and really yummy. I could have just eaten the cabbage plain as it's prepared here as a side dish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/shrimp-and-egg-fried-rice-with-napa-cabbage-recipe/index.html

Prep Time:

20 min

Cook Time:

10 min

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/2 small head napa cabbage, core removed and finely sliced
• Salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed in warm water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 bunch scallions, sliced, for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a wok or a large nonstick skillet over medium-high flame. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the shallots, the ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage is wilted and soft, about 8 minutes; season with a nice pinch of salt. Remove the vegetables to a side platter and wipe out the wok with dry paper towel.

Put the pan back on the heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and to the wok and saute gently until fragrant. Add shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pink. Set aside on platter with vegetables. Add remaining oil to the wok and when hot, crack the eggs into the center. Scramble the egg lightly, then let it set without stirring so it stays in big pieces. Fold in the rice and toss with the egg until well combined, breaking up the rice clumps with the back of a spatula. Return the sauteed vegetables and shrimp to the pan along with the peas and season with salt and soy sauce. Toss everything together to heat through. Spoon the fried rice out onto a serving platter, and garnish with scallions and peanuts.

chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-frosted brownies

I was so excited to eat these. I made them, ate one, and was unimpressed. It just tasted like sugar and the two flavors did not mix well.

BUT I left them in the fridge and the next day, they were SO delicious. Certainly not sophisticated flavors here, but rich, gooey, and egg-free

http://cakescraps.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/cookie-dough-brownies/

1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients to make ‘em. (or your favorite scratch recipe)

1-1/2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

4-1/2 tbsp milk

1-1/2 cups flour

1-1/2 cups mini chocolate chips.
Just prepare your brownies according to the package in a 9×13 pan. Let cool completely.

Next, combine the butter, sugars, milk and flour until well combined. Then stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Spread the cookie dough on the cooled brownies.

Then chill the brownies until the cookie dough is firm. Cut into bars.

bacon-wrapped shrimp kabobs

1/2 lb raw shrimp

1 lb bacon

vegetables good for grilling

(We used zucchini, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and green bell peppers. Also good would be red onion, summer squash, small red new potatoes, corn on the cob)

1. Soak some wooden skewers in water for 20 min while you cut up all the veggies
2.Cut the bacon strips in half and wrap it around the shrimp
3. Slide 2-3 wrapped shrimp and some vegetables on the soaked skewers
4. Place skewers on broiler pan and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with cracked pepper and some salt. Or brush with BBQ sauce. Or teriyaki sauce. Or balsamic vinegar and pepper. You get the idea.
5. Broil until done, checking and turning every 4 min. They'll be done in about 8-16 min, depending on how hot your broiler is. Cover them with foil if they're charring, but not cooked through.

Enjoy the amazingly rich flavor combo of bacon and shrimp.

Classic Humus from McCormick Spice

I'm lifting this recipe directly from McCormick's Page. I think it's also printed on the large Cumin bottle. I hope they don't mind.



Keep a can of chickpeas in your pantry for when you have unexpected guests. You can easily prepare hummus, a Middle Eastern chickpea dip.

Makes 10 (2-tablespoon) servings.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas
  
• 1 tablespoon McCormick® California Style Minced Garlic made from Fresh Garlic (I didn't have garlic, so I used a tsp of Garlic Salt instead)
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Cumin, Ground
  
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Red Pepper, Crushed or 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Red Pepper, Ground (I used Cayenne Pepper, because it was the only red pepper I had. It turned out a bit spicier than I wanted (though certainly nott terribly hot), so next time I'll use less.)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I left this out because I used Garlic Salt above)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• Garnishes such as chopped green onions, chopped olives and chopped tomato (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Place chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, red pepper and salt in food processor; cover. Process until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add reserved liquid; process until smooth.
   
   
   
2. Spoon hummus into serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with toppings as desired. Serve with pita chips or warm pita wedges. Store hummus in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days. (I put the oil in the blender with everything else, since I don't like to see or feel the fat in my foods (though I do like to taste small amounts). I served it with torn up tortillas, though it's also good if you spread it on a tortilla or some other flatbread and roll it up)
   

Tips
Test Kitchen Tip: Prepare as directed, substituting 2 teaspoons McCormick® Garlic Powder for the Minced Garlic. Add 1/3 cup reserved chickpea liquid.

Tahini Hummus: Stir in 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste).

Bruschetta with Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper: Spread Bruschetta Toasts with hummus. Top each with a shaving of Manchego cheese and a strip of roasted red pepper.


NUTRITION INFORMATION
per serving
Calories: 38
Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 120 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 1 g

Apple Cheddar Turkey Meatballs - slow cooker

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but I found a website full of slow cooker recipes that are GF. Many of the ones that we've tried are really good. Here's one we had last night that we served over rice. I just copied and pasted, so the directions come from the crockpot365 blog.

--1 1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey

--1 egg

--1 tsp kosher salt

--1 tsp ground black pepper

--1 tsp onion powder

--1 green apple, peeled and shredded

--1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

--1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

The Directions.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground turkey with the ingredients. I used my hands.

Make golf-ball sized meatballs, and drop them into your crockpot. I used a 6 quart crockpot, but you could use any size over 3 quart, probably. These made enough meatballs to feed our family of 4 for dinner, with 8 leftover for breakfast and lunch. If you have a large family, or would like to cook enough to freeze, double or triple the recipe. You can definitely stagger-stack the meatballs on top of each other.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 5-9---the cooking time will depend on how many meatballs are in the crock, and the size of your machine. The more full it is, the longer it will take to cook.

I cooked 1 1/2 pounds of meatballs in a 6 quart for exactly 4 hours on high. I could have left them in a bit longer to brown the ones on the very top, but we were hungry.

While they cook, juice will collect on the bottom of the crock, and the meatballs will start off getting bright white and slimy looking. Don't be alarmed---they will continue to cook and will begin to brown. They (miraculously enough!) don't seem to stick together in a big blob---you'll be able to separate them

Cavatelli and Broccoli

I didn't add the cavatelli when I made this and it was great.

1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets

2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 pound cavatelli pasta

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch broccoli for about 5 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until lightly golden, being careful not to burn it. Add the broccoli. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Broccoli should be tender yet crisp to the bite.

Meanwhile, cook cavatelli in a large pot of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain, and place in a large serving bowl. Toss with the broccoli, and season with salt and hot pepper flakes. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Instant smoothie

Mix half and half cinnamon applesauce and peach cranberry juice. (Or whatever fruit juice you  have in the fridge.) It's really hot and humid here in Dayton right now, this was just the thing. Also a lot cheaper than buying a smoothie.

Kung Pao Chicken

This is a GFCF recipe that Rachel's sister, Deb, sent us. Very delicious! (the recipe calls for pork, but we use chicken)

1/3 c water

1/4 c soy sauce

2 1/2 T sugar

1 T lemon juice (or 1/2 T vinegar)

2 T cornstarch

1/4 t dried crushed red pepper (we use cayenne)

2 T oil

3/4 lb meat cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2-4 large garlic cloves

1 red or green pepper cut into thin strips

1 small onion chopped

1/4 c unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)

Hot cooked rice

Combine water, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and cayenne in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth; set aside.

Pour oil into wok or large skillet, turn on to med-high heat until oil is very hot. Add pork and garlic; stir-fry about 3 min or until meat is cooked. Add pepper strips and onion; stir fry 3 min just until veggies are tender.

Stir in soy sauce mixture; cook, stirring constantly 1 min or until thickened. Stir in peanuts. Serve over rice. Makes about 4 medium servings

Southwest Pasta Salad

Sam's mom gave me this recipe and I love it. It's really easy to make and is great for potlucks. But be aware, the whole recipe makes a ton of salad. If I'm just feeding our family, I half the recipe and we still have leftovers. Anna likes it warmed.

I put *asterisks* around ingredients I usually leave out and {brackets} around ingredients I like to add

SOUTHWEST PASTA SALAD

Cook 1 pound tricolor pasta until al dente; do not overcook

In a large bowl, combine the pasta with

½ cup finely chopped red onions

*½ green pepper, finely chopped*

1 cup frozen or canned corn(I just use a whole can of corn)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 small can chopped green chili peppers (sometimes I leave these out and it's still good)

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, or black beans rinsed and drained (I still use the whole can, even when I half the recipe)

4 ounces cubed or shredded cheese (cheddar, taco mix, or colby jack works well)

{half to a whole avocado}

{one or two tomatoes, or some salsa}

{one or two whole green onions}

{chopped black olives}

{some chicken that I stir fried in garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano)

Whisk together these sauce ingredients in small bowl and then pour over those in the large bowl

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp chicken or vegetable broth

5 Tbsp white-wine vinegar

3 Tbsp tomato sauce (or spaghetti sauce)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

Best Pre-prepared Meals

These are foods you can buy, put on the shelf or freezer, and eat them a few months later with zero preparation and they still taste really good.

Frozen Entrees:

Bertolli: Shrimp Asparagus and Penne
The asparagus is not soggy or stringy.

Tandoor Chef: Vegetable Pad Thai
There are some really awful ones out there, but this one is tasty. Lots of veggies.

Kashi: Lemongrass Coconut Chicken (have you seen the Onion parody about warning labels on frozen entrees?) The spices and barley make this one interesting.


Sweet and Cold:

Greek Gods: Greek yogurt with honey
Greek yogurt has more fat and is thicker than regular yogurt.

Dole: Tropical Gold Pineapple
Tastes more like fresh pineapple than canned.

Dole: bottled halved apricots and mandarin oranges
In the canned fruit section

Bolthouse Farms: smoothies
I'm not sure how long these will last.  I like them too much to try the experiment.

cinnamon applesauce


Snacks:

 Triscuits, Deli Style Rye
It's those caraway seeds.

Kirkland pine nuts
These are from Asia so they're cheaper than European pine nuts.

Anyone else have some recommendations that fit these restrictions?

Marmalade, Turkey, and Baby Spinach on Rye Sandwich

You need to think of this not as a sandwich, but as a salad with two unreasonably large and fresh croûtons.

Tortellini Soup

1 lb of sausage (mild Italian, or spicy, even breakfast sausage works)

Onion


Carrot coins cut from 3 or 4 carrots

Potato cubes—from 2 or three potatoes

Chopped celery (maybe 2 ribs)

1 can of chicken broth

1 quart of stewed tomatoes or 1 28 oz. can

½-1 tsp. herbes de province or ½ tsp. oregano and ½ tsp. basil (fresh
is nice if you have it—increase to 1 T. chopped of each if fresh)

1 15 oz. can of beans, rinsed (canellini, garbanzo, kidney—whatever
you like or have in the cupboard)


½ lb tortellini


Brown the sausage (I like turkey mild Italian sausage) with the
chopped onion in a large soup pot.  If it’s a fatty sausage and you
have time, drain some of the fat if desired.  When it’s almost cooked
through, add the vegetables and stir to combine.  Add the broth and
tomatoes—if they are whole, bash them up a bit with your wooden spoon.
 Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes
until potatoes and carrots are cooked.  Add the beans and heat
through.


Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boiling and cook tortellini
separately.


To serve, place 10 or 12 tortellini in a bowl and ladle the soup over.
 Pass the parmesan cheese, if desired.  Crusty bread is nice, too, for
soaking up the broth.


~Marcelle

Homemade potato soup

Peel some potatoes. The nice thing about potato peelers is, they have two sharp sides when you buy them.  But everyone else wears out the one side, because they're all right handed.  So that's a benefit of being left handed.
Chop up those potatoes.  The way you do this is, first you slice them the long way.  But you leave the slices in a stack so they look like half potatoes, resting flat side down.  Then you cut them the other two directions.  If you do it this way, all the pieces come out as cubes, except the ones on the edges. It's basically like TRON for potatoes. If you do it any other way, you'r probably going to slice your fingers because the potatoes won't stay still so you'll try to use your other hand to make them stay still.
Then boil them, for a long time, like 20 minutes or half an hour.  Potatoes take forever to cook.  If you put a potato in the microwave, you need to microwave it for about 15 minutes, or it's still all starchy inside. The whole reason you cut them into those cubes was to make it cook faster, but still, it takes forever. They're done when you can just take out one of those cubes and mash it into mashed potatoes just by squishing it with a fork.  You don't even have to press hard.
Then drain off all of the water (well, most of it, it doesn't matter if there's still some water because let's face it, you're making soup not macaroni and cheese), mash up the potatoes with a fork, and add some butter, some milk, and some salt.  I'm not going to tell you how much because hey, everyone is different. But if you don't put in enough milk, you're basically just making mashed potatoes.  Whatever you do, don't put them in a blender for a long time.  That makes them really sticky.  The longer you do it, the stickier they get. They still kind of look like mashed potatoes, but they taste like glue.
Then when you're going to serve it, put some sour cream on top. That way the sour cream stays kind of cold. You can also chop up some green onions into little circles if you have them, but let's be realistic.  Those things won't last a week in your fridge, so if you have some, you probably just need to throw them out because they're getting old.  But sometimes they grow in people's yards.  So if they grow in your yard you could pick some.
You can also put in garlic if you like garlic.  If you don't know if you like garlic, think if you like garlic bread.  If you like garlic bread, put some garlic in your soup.
Potato soup is supposed to be eaten with hot pastrami sandwiches on black rye bread, with pickles and some kind of melted white cheese.  That's the rule. These flavors combine, Voltron-like, to form a giant of tastiness.  You should also make sure you didn't use up all the milk making the soup, because you're going to get thirsty eating that sandwich.

Steak

2 steaks

1/2 cup sea salt

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp garlic

2 tbsp butter

Buy good steak.  You can tell it's good if it has little streaks of white fat in the meat.  Those are like little globules of flavor. Cover the steak all over with sea salt. Leave it that way for about half an hour.  Then wash all that salt off-- it would taste awful if you left it on there.  During that time the salt was soaking into the meat, and kind of breaking down its defenses. Put the spices onto the meat at this point. Whatever spices you like, really.
If you cook it like this, the steak will taste a little bit like bacon, because it's salty and has a carmelized, crispy outer coating.
Turn the burner on to high.  Add some butter and wait for it to boil. Leave the burner on high the whole time. Drop the steaks into the pan. Let it cook for about 20 seconds, then turn it over. Turn it over again after 20 more seconds, and keep doing this as long as you're cooking the steak.  The reason for doing this is so that the outside gets cooked faster than the inside, but it doesn't char too much. ( I like the flavor of some black carbon, myself.) You can't get distracted while you're doing this. You should probably open a window and take the batteries out of the smoke alarm, too.
It's done when there is a layer of brown on the outside, but the inside is still a little bit pinkish.
I wouldn't put any sauce on this, but if you want you can put just a little. You don't want to drown out the taste of the steak.

Tortilla Soup, take one

My friend Marci brought her yummy tortilla soup to our Relief Society Super Saturday. I found the recipe on her menu blog and gave it a whirl. I'm a big fan. I really like that she uses canned chicken so there's minimal cooking, but there are enough spices to mask that unmistakable canned chicken flavor.


MARCI'S CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
1 T. olive oil
1 (12.5 oz.) can chicken (do NOT drain)
1/2 c. finely diced onion
2 garlic cloves
1 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. ground pepper
(I use "heaping" teaspoons when measuring the spices)
1 (14 ½ oz.) can chicken broth
1 (15 ¼ oz.) can corn kernels (do NOT drain)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans (rinse and drain)
1 (14 ½ oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (cut up)
Toppings:
tortilla strips (see below)
fresh cilantro
diced avocado
sour cream
cheese

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-Heat oil in pan over medium heat and sautee onion and garlic.
-Add can of chicken and spices (cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper).
-Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
-Stir in broth, undrained corn, black beans and tomatoes.
(I like a little extra broth in my finished soup so I add some extra water, maybe 1/4-1/3 cup)
-Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
-Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 min.

While the soup simmers you can prepare the tortilla strips (or if you are pressed for time, just crush tortilla chips):
Using kitchen scissors (there is probably an actual name for them) cut tortillas into thin strips (I cut 3 at a time). Spread evenly in a lightly greased 9x13 dish.

Bake them in oven approx 4 minutes then stir them around and bake 3 more.

I often put them under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end to make them golden brown. Let them cool and harden, then serve on top of the soup with your other favorite toppings.

*tortilla strip photos from On My Menu

Autumn Sausage Casserole

I found a link to a blog of someone who used her slow cooker for one year. She had this recipe on there. We loved it. It's just what fall tastes like. I think it even looks like an autumn dish.

1 lb. sausage
1 large or 2 small apples, chopped (no need to peel)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 cups already cooked long grain rice
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbl. parsley
1 tbl. brown sugar
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup chicken broth or water (I used water)

Use a 4 quart crock pot. If using uncooked sausage, brown and drain before putting it into the crock pot. Put all the ingredients in the crock pot, stir well. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours or on high 3-4.

We thought it would be good with potatoes added to it.

Slow Cooker Zesty Barbeque Chicken

6 frozen, skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (12 0z) barbeque sauce
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Place chicken in slow cooker. In a bowl, mix barbeque sauce, salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

We added a bit of corn starch to the sauce after it was cooked. It was a bit running for our taste. The sauce is really good on baked potatoes also.

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Photo and recipe originally from The Sisters Cafe

I usually have another layered bean casserole I make, but I liked this one a lot more.

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

2 cups diced chicken breast meat

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained

1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce – MILD
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray.
3. Sauté chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.

5. Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.

6. Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. (I put the tortillas down, spread on the sour cream and then added the rest of the enchilada sauce)
7. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.

8. Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

9. Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. (See step 6) Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

10. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Doug's baked apples

2 granny smith apples

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp coriander

2 cinnamon sticks

Core and cut the apples into slices. Sprinkle all the sugar and coriander over the apples. Put the cinnamon sticks in the bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes, until apples are soft but not liquified. Dribble the sauce that has formed at the bottom of the bowl over the slices and eat with a spoon.

Bruschetta 'n Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

8 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)

1/3 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

MIX tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese and basil in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.

PLACE 2 chicken breasts in large freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. Pound with meat mallet or side of heavy can until chicken is 1/4 inch thick. Remove from bag; place, top-sides down, on cutting board. Repeat with remaining chicken. Spread chicken with stuffing mixture. Starting at 1 narrow end, tightly roll up each breast. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with dressing.

BAKE 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F). Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted.

I got this from Kraft. I used our toaster oven and just did four at a time. I only had really big chicken breasts so I cut them in half lengthwise and only had to use a total of 4 chicken breasts.

Farmer's Market Vegetarian Quesadillas

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 cup chopped yellow squash

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil cooking spray

6 (9 inch) whole wheat tortillas

1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

In a large nonstick pan, cook red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and mushrooms in olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until just tender. Remove vegetables from pan.

Coat the same pan with cooking spray, and place one tortilla in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese evenly over tortilla, and layer 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/8 cup of cheese on the vegetables, and top with a second tortilla. Cook until golden on both sides, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove quesadilla from pan, and repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 8 triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve hot.

We used my griddle for the whole thing and used regular tortillas in stead of whole wheat, and they turned out great. I'm sure you could add other kinds of veggies and it would be just as good.

Roasted Veggies

My new favorite way to eat vegetables is to roast them. I've used this method with sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus. I really like it with broccoli and asparagus. It's like eating green french fries.

1) Preheat the oven to 400-425 (lower for green veggies, higher for starchy ones)
2)Chop up your veggies or trim the ends off the asparagus stalks
3) Drizzle with olive oil
4) Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced fresh garlic (1-4 cloves, depending on the volume of veggies you're working with)
5) Toss it all together till it's well coated
6) Place in oven for 10-20 minutes until veggies are browned and a little crispy, turning once or twice while cooking

Last night I made broiled steaks (see previous recipe) and just put the asparagus on the broiler pan with the steak. Even at the higher heat, they did just fine. Experiment with all your veggies! Make thin slices of sweet potato for home-made fries. Try sprinkling with some parmesan cheese or lemon rind/juice after cooking.

Steak with the broiler

Preheat the broiler. Season the steaks with salt and pepper, and place on a rack at least 2 to 3 inches below the heat source. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare, and about 7 minutes per side for medium, turning them once. About 1 minute before removing the steaks from the broiler, place a round or pat of butter on top of each steak and let melt.

Hazelnut Gelato--not for the faint of heart

(adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, 2000)

Makes about 1 quart

2 cups shelled hazelnuts (8 ounces)

3 cups milk

5 large egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 T. hazelnut liqueur, optional

Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast nuts in a single even layer on baking sheet until the skins are split, about 8-10 minutes. [don’t wait until you can smell them a lot, they’ll be burned about 3 seconds later.] Rub the warm nuts with a clean kitchen towel to remove the brown skins. [this is fairly laborious but you’ll remember how worth it all the work was when you take your first bite.] Return to pan; toast until fragrant and golden brown, about one minute more. Let cool completely, grind coarsely [in food processor] or chop finely [with a knife].

In a medium sauce pan, heat milk and chopped nuts. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep at room temperature for 2 hours. Pass through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, pressing hard on solids and reserve milk. Discard solids [or if you can’t bear to, they can be used for a few ingenious things—call me, I’ll fill you in].

Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, about five minutes. Meanwhile, return milk to a simmer.

Prepare an ice-water bath. Whisking constantly, add half the milk to the egg yolk mixture to temper it. Stir egg mixture into milk in sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. [this can be a tricky thing to do—lots of good cookbooks will describe better what kinds of tests you can do to determine the doneness of a custard if the spoon test is not clear to you].

Remove from heat and immediately stir in cream and hazelnut liqueur, if using [I have tried the hazelnut syrup made for using in lattes—it’s pretty good but not strictly necessary]. Pass mixture through a fine sieve [to remove any possible scrambled egg bits] into a medium bowl set over the ice bath to chill. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions [or follow David’s great instructions for liquid nitrogen ice cream]. Freeze in a plastic container up to one week [if it lasts that long].

Pistachio variation: cover and bring a sauce pan of water to boil. Add pistachios and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat and drain. When cool enough to handle, remove outer skins and discard. Toast in 350° F oven until aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Shrimp, Avocado, and Mango Salsa Quesadillas

I found this book at the Amherst Library while I was home in March. I scanned several pages of it and have tried two or three of the recipes. They have been unusual mixtures of textures and flavors and I've been enjoying it. This is a favorite that we've had a couple times now. If you like this, you should definitely find the book and try some of his others.

1 small, ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 lb large shrimp (about 12) peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 small ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4" dice [We use a whole small mango]
2 scallions (white and light green parts), finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 All-Purpose flatbreads (page 22 of his book) or 8-inch flour tortillas [We use 6 inch tortillas and with those this recipe makes 4-5 quesadillas]
2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 3/4 C)

• Heat a panini or sandwich press according to instructions [We only have a small George Foreman grill and that works fine for these or other paninis]
• Place avocado in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp lime juice. Set aside.
• Place shrimp in a bowl and add olive oil and salt. Toss to coat. Arrange them on the press and cook until pink and just cooked through (2-3 min)
• Carefully remove them and set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Place mango, scallions, cilantro, pepper flakes, and remaining 1 Tbsp lime juice into a bowl and toss to combine.
• Arrange the avocado in one half of each flatbread. Arrange the shrimp on top of the avocado. Spoon the mango salsa on top of the shrimp. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Fold the flatbreads over.
• Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down and cook until browned and crisp, 3 to 6 min. Remove from press and serve immediately.
  

Pad Thai-- Gluten Free

I found this recipe at my friend Marci's dinner blog: On My Menu. She got it from Kill.The.Gluten blog and tweaked it. I like her additions (in italics) and have added my own (*starred*). The ease and deliciousness of this dinner have made it a regular at our house. The photo is from Marci who takes excellent pictures of all her dinners.

Ingredients:
1 box Original Pad Thai
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin---season with 1/2 t. each pepper, garlic salt, onion salt and 1 t. curry---*We have used either 1 lb shrimp or a mixture of shrimp and chicken. The shrimp makes it oh so rich.*
3 Tbsp oil, divided---I use 1/2 sesame oil, 1/2 canola or veggie oil---*I used peanut oil*
1 egg, scrambled (we like 2)
2 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 lime...optional (I forgot tonight and it still tasted great)
2 Tbsp peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. shredded carrots


Directions:
- Boil 4 cups water. Add the noodles and remove from heat. Let the noodles soak for about 5-8 minutes, then drain and run under cold water.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add egg(s) and cook until done. Remove the egg, chop, and set aside.
- Add the other 2 Tbsp oil and heat. Add the chicken (and carrots) to the skillet, cooking until just done, about 3-5 minutes. *If you're using shrimp, stir fry it 2-3 min on each side until it's done, then remove until the end. If you over cook them, they'll be rubbery*
-Add the noodles and the sauce packet. Stir fry for a few minutes, or until the noodles are done, adding water if necessary to keep them from sticking to the skillet.
- Add the egg, green onions, cilantro, and squeeze the juice from the lime over the top. Stir for 1 minute and remove from heat.
- Garnish with peanuts. (and some soy sauce if desired)

Homemade Power Bars

I like to make these as a snack for that late afternoon slump when I'm tempted to eat chocolate or ice cream but should really have some protein.

Mix:
1 C peanut butter
1 C honey
1 C protein powder (I use soy)

Add 4 C of other stuff like:
quick oats
chocolate chips
flax seed
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
craisins
raisins
golden raisins
dried fruit
chopped nuts

(My favorite sweet/tart mix is at least 3/4 C oats, chocolate chips, craisins, flax seed, sunflower seeds, and chopped almonds)

Stir until combined. Add more honey if you need things to stick together better. You can then roll this out and cut it into bars and wrap it in saran wrap. Or, roll it into balls and place in cupcake liners. Keep them in the fridge if you want them to last longer than a couple days.