Centerville Test Kitchen

Stretching your Dollars - How to feed your Family on a budget

2012-01-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

Salsa Chicken

Maricia Sorensen

Ingredients:

Thawed Chicken

Salsa

Optional:

Beans, cheese, onions, seasoning, sour cream... really anything, get creative

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I like to line my baking dish with tin foil so I don't have to clean it up. If you want to season your chicken do so now. Pour salsa over chicken and anything else you want (beans, onion...) Bake for 30-35 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken this may need to be adjusted. Once chicken is out you can sprinkle with cheese and put in for another 5 min.

Now you can add whatever toppings you like and serve with rice or even shed it and make some yummy tacos.

4-Ingredient Banana Oat Bars
Maricia Sorensen
2 large, very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup pitted, chopped dried dates
1/4 chopped nuts
grated nutmeg or cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degree oven and lightly grease a 9x9-inch square baking dish with olive oil or butter.
Peel the bananas and mash their flesh in a medium mixing bowl. Mash very thoroughly until no large chunks remain; the bananas should be essentially liquid. (You will have between 1 cup and 1 1/4 cup.) Stir in the vanilla, if using. Add the oats and stir them in. Stir in the salt, dates, and nuts.
Pat the thick mixture evenly into the baking pan. If desired, sprinkle the top lightly with nutmeg or cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes or unti the edges just begin to crisp up.
Place the baking pan on a rack to cool. When the pan is mostly cool, cut into bars and enjoy with a glass of milk or tea.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Carolann Wedlund
Ingredients
Filling:
12 ounces ground turkey
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 6-ounce can water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Drizzling Sauce:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or spicy mustard
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce(Makes it really spicy, so cut down if you like it mild)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
8 to 12 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cleaned and dry
Shredded carrots, for serving
Bean sprouts, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Directions:
For the filling: Brown the turkey in the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add the mushrooms, scallions, garlic and water chestnuts, and cook until the mushrooms soften. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar, pour over the turkey mixture and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
For the drizzling sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, mustard, Sriracha, sesame oil and 1/4 cup water.
Serve the turkey mixture with the lettuce leaves, drizzling sauce and vegetables for lettuce wrap assembly.

Green Bean Saute
Elizabeth Champion
10 medium red potatoes (cubed and cooked until just soft. I pressure cook for 2 minutes with quick release)
1/4 cup coconut oil
6 handfuls green beans, cut to about 2"
1 bell pepper, any color (I like red because it's so pretty with the green beans and white potatoes)
15 cloves garlic, chopped (I buy peeled garlic cheap at the Indian store across from Smart and Final)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
Saute beans in coconut oil on high for 10 minutes stirring frequently. Push beans to side and saute chopped garlic for 2 mintues. Stir in balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir in potatoes.

Split Pea Soup
Shelley Baer
2 cups dried peas
2 qts Chicken broth
1 Ham Bone
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cup shredded carrots
1 Bay leaf
1/4 tsp thyme or one sprig fresh thyme
2-3 whole cloves
1 clove garlic
1/2 Milk
Salt and Pepper

Wash and sort beans, add chicken broth, bring to boil and reduce to simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat from heat and let stand 1 hour. Add ham bone, vegetables, bay leaf, cloves, garlic & thyme, heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until peas are soft. Remove bone and cut off meat and dice.

Max's Turkey Gumbo
Shelley Baer
1 Turkey Carcass
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 yellow onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
10 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 lb smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 TBSP creole seasoning
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Steamed rice, for serving

Remove the turkey meat from the carcass, dice, and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is chocolate brown, about 15 minutes. Do not let it burn. Stir in the onions, celery, and green pepper and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Stir in the water and bouillon cubes. Place the turkey carcass in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 4 hours. Remove the carcass.
Add the reserved turkey meat and the sausage. Stir in the Creole seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 1 hour more. Serve with steamed rice.

Black Bean Soup

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Jenna Ralph

1 T olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)

3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)

1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 3.5oz can green chilies

2 cans low-sodium beef broth

1 t kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 t chili powder

1/4 t cumin

1/2 t dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped cilantro, etc.

Place a large stock pot on the stove-top and set to medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup.

Place soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the lid to let heat escape. Place a paper towel over the hole to avoid splatters.

Puree soup until completely smooth. Optionally you could pulse until a semi-chunky soup is achieved. Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine.

Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve with extra lime wedges. Makes about 8 C soup.

Holiday Extravaganza

2011-11-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

Turkeys:

Brined Black Pepper Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey
Carolann Wedlund

Ingredients:
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Turkey Glaze:
1 1/2 cups pomegranate molasses
3/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Directions

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Whisk together pomegranate molasses, horseradish, mustard, salt, and coarsely ground black pepper. Set aside and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting.

During the last 15 minutes of roasting, brush the entire turkey with 1 cup of the pomegranate glaze. Remove the turkey from the oven, brush with the remaining glaze, loosely tent with aluminum foil and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Mason Jar Gift Ideas Recipes:

Cherry, Almond and Cinnamon Granola

Ingredients
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup good honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, and cherries together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

*I use coconut oil and it makes it even more yummy

Total Time: 40 min Yeild 10 cups

Recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Cowboy Cookies

Start with 1 quart mason jar
You will need:
1 1-3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocoalte chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3-1/2 cup chopped pecans

Layer the ingredients in like this (you will have to pack the ingredients tight for everything to fit):

First: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Second:oats
Third: m&ms
Fourth: chocolate chips
Fifth:brown sugar
Sixth: white sugar
Seventh: chopped pecans

Toffee Blondies:

In the jar:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup heath chips

To make the blondies:

1/4 cup melted butter

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8x2 pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the contents of the jar. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the brownies are set and the edges begin to pull from the sides of the pan. Cool in pan. Makes 16 bars.

Side Dishes/Dessert:

Cranberry Raspberry Relish

1 pound fresh cranberries, finely chopped

2 Tarygreen apples, peeled, cored and finely diced

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange marmalade

10 oz package frozen raspberries, thawed and drained

1 tsp lemon juice or to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

*May be refrigerated, covered for 1 month.

Spoon relish into serving bowl

Yeild: 6 cups; serves 12

This relish is quickly assembled when a food processor is used.

Grandma Holladay’s Cranberry Jello Salad

Nancy Holladay

The first recipe is the one I brought to the dinner. I used less than ½ cup of sugar and only about 3 cups of water total. I also used 6 apples and two cans of mandarin oranges.

1 large pkg. (6 oz or two 3oz pkgs) Cherry gelatin (Jello)

1/2 (up to 1) cup sugar, as needed

3-4 cups water, boil (at least 2 cups) to dissolve the jello and sugar – then add the rest of the water

Mix into the dissolved jello:

1 pkg (about 12-16oz) cranberries, ground or finely chopped

6-8 apples, ground or finely chopped

1 orange / or 1 (or 2) can mandarin oranges, chopped

Set and serve.

I didn’t bring this one, but it is easier and good.

Holiday Cranberry Jello

2 sm (3oz) or 1 lg (6oz) pkg. cherry jello

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz)

1 ½ cups boiling water

Add boiling water to jello and dissolve. Add cranberry sauce gradually and mash lumps to blend well. Add pineapple and mix thoroughly. Pour into 9x13 glass casserole. Chill overnight.

Yam/Apple Casserole

Carol Hansen

l 29 oz can yams
1 can apple pie filling
about 1/3-1/2 C sugar (to your taste)
l tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each of allspice, nutmeg, and
a pinch of cloves

Drain the liquid from the can and save it. Put the yams in the bowl
of a mixer, add a little of the saved cooking liquid, sugar and spices
and whip up to the consistency of regular mashed potatoes, adding a
bit more liquid and sugar if you think necessary. You don't want it
runny, but you also don't want it stiff. Put about 1/3 of this in the
bottom of a casserole dish; next add a layer of apple pie filling,
repeat two more times to make 3 layers in all, ending with the yams on
top. Bake at 375 about 45 mins or until bubbly and heated through.
If you want, this can also be made from 'scratch' with fresh cooked
yams and green apples sauteed in a bit of butter with sugar and
cinnamon.

Pumpkin Cake Dessert
RaeDene Hodson

1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 29 oz can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Reserve 3/4 cup cake mix. Mix rest of cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1 egg. Press into a 9 x 13 pan.
In bowl, mix eggs, sugar, salt, pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, vanilla. Pour into pan (over cake mix). Sprinkle with topping (below)
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Top with Cool Whip or serve with vanilla ice cream.

Topping
3/4 c cake mix
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Mix until crumbly and sprinkle on top of cake.

Praline Topped Yams Recipe
Megan Bodily

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (can used canned)
1/2 c. sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

Topping:
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. butter or margarine (melted)
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. Brown SUGAR

Combine all ingredients, except those for the topping. Mix untill smooth.
Pour into an oblong casserole dish.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30
min.
May be prepared to cooking stage in advance and refrigerate until needed.

Pretzel Salad

Karen Tolliver

Crust:
2 cups Pretzels Crushed (Sometimes I do more, because I want to make sure there is enough pretzel on the bottom)
3 Tbsp Sugar
3/4 Cup butter, Melted

Middle Layer:
8oz. Cream Cheese, Softened
1 cup sugar
8oz. Cool Whip, Thawed

Top Layer:
1 pkg. (1-2 Cup) Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
2 (3oz) pkgs raspberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Mix pretzels, 3 Tbsp sugar and melted butter. Press into 13x9 inch dish.
3. Bake for 5 min. Then let cool completely. (if it doesn't cool completely, the next layer will melt...)
4. Mix softened cream cheese and cup of sugar. Add whipped topping; mix well.
5. Spread mixture on top of pretzel crust, Make sure that you seal the edges completely, meaning push the cream cheese layer all the way to the sides, and make sure there are no small holes (if not sealed, the jello will seep into the pretzel crust, and it won't be as good.)
6. Completely dissolve gelatin with the boiling water. Add raspberries.
7. Let gelatin cool slightly, before putting on top of cream cheese layer ( if you don't let it cool, the hot gelatin can cause the cream cheese layer to melt.). *if you are using frozen raspberries, then this will cool the gelatin quickly.*
8. Pour gelatin with raspberries over the cream cheese layer.
9. Chill until set.

Autumn Chopped Salad
Jonna Carlile

Ingredients
6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)
Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions
On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

Freezer/One Dish meals

2011-10-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

Poppy Seed Chicken

Jan Skubal

4 cups cooked chicken breast

2 cans cream of chicken Soup

3 cups sour cream

8 oz crushed Ritz Crackers

1 cup minced onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 small package of sliced almonds

Mix soup & sour cream together, then add onion and celery. Mix cracker crumbs, melted butter, poppy seeds and almonds. Layer crumbs, chicken and soup; repeat layers. Top with layer of crumbs and almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Elizabeth's Crock Pot Chicken

Jan Skubal

3 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 package Good seasons Italian salad dressing mix

8 oz cream cheese

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

1/2 -1 package frozen spinach (thawed and undrained)

Cook chicken and seasoning in crock pot for 3 hours to all day. After chicken is cooked, add cream cheese, soup and spinach. Heat through. Mixture can be thinned with a little milk. Serve over rice (good over cooked cauliflower too)

Mississippi Corn Bread Salad

Jan Skubal

Cornbread - baked (buy 2 @ lucky's) crumble corn bread up

Corn Mixture is:

1 can kidney beans

2 cans corn

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 can black olives, chopped

1/2- green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 - red bell pepper, chopped

1 lb. bacon fried crispy

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1 pint sour cream

1 pint mayo

1 package dry ranch dressing

Layer in glass bowl. Corn bread first layer, then corn mixture, then dressing, than cheese, then bacon and repeat.

Jello Salad Mold

Jan Skubal

2 small or 1 large Jello, leave 1/2 cup water out and use juice from mandarin orange for last 1/2 cup cold water.

Let jello soft set. Mix in cool whip - 1 1/2 cups, not whole tub. Add miniature marshmallows and mandarin oranges. Put in Tupperware mold & let finish setting.

Spaghetti Pie

Jan Skubal

6 oz spaghetti

2 TBSP butter or margarine

1-3 cup Parmesan cheese

3 well beaten eggs

your favorite spaghetti sauce - 1 large jar

1/2 cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooke Spaghetti and drain. Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Form mixture into a crust in buttered pie pan. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of crust. Pour in spaghetti sauce. Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake 5 minutes more.

Beefy Tomato Skillet

Barbara Reinert

1 lb ground beef

3 cups beef broth

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained

2 cups small elbow macaroni

2 cups corn (frozen)

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1 TBSP chili powder

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

In large skillet, brown beef; drain. Stir in broth, tomatoes, uncooked macaroni, corn, tomato sauce & chili powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered 15-17 minutes or until elbows are tender, stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover, let stand 2 minutes until cheese melts.

Lasagna with Turkey Sausage

Carolann Wedlund

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

· 2 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

· 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

· 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

· 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

· 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

· Kosher salt

· Freshly ground black pepper

· 1/2 pound lasagna noodles

· 15 ounces ricotta cheese

· 3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

· 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

· 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

· 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Broccoli & Rice In Coconut Curry Sauce

Recipe taken from 12 Steps to Whole Foods, by Robyn Openshaw (The Green Smoothie Girl)

Elizabeth Champion

1 1/2 cups brown rice, rinsed well

3 cups water

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

3 stems of broccoli, cut in bite-sized pieces (including stalk)

8 oz. mushrooms, washed well and cut in thirds

1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried)

Bring water and rice to a boil, turn down to medium low, cover, and simmer for 45 mins. In a large wok, frying pan, or pot melt coconut oil and lightly saute broccoli on medium high for five minutes, then add mushrooms and saute another two minutes. In a blender, blend coconut milk, cornstarch, curry powder, and salt. Add to vegetables and heat on medium high, stirring frequently and reducing to a simmer until sauce is thickened. Toss mixture gently into brown rice, along with tomato, cilantro, and parsley. Serve hot.

Note: Cooked rice freezes great. I like to freeze my left over rice in 2 cup sizes. That way I can easily add them to recipes (like this) that call for cooked rice and save myself a step. And if you buy sliced mushrooms and the Costco broccoli then you can make this recipe in 15 minutes! Bon Appetit! Elizabeth

Freezer/One Dish meals

2011-09-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

Busy lifestyles and over-full schedules make traditional cooking methods nearly obsolete in many families. The results are poor nutrition and budgets strained by the high cost of fast food or commercially prepared meals. Test Kitchen is here to help. We will be having a demo on how to make delicious freezer/one dish meals for those nights you simply don’t have time or are just too tired. It will be held on October 12th at 7pm at the Centerville Cultural Hall. Bring your favorite freezer meal or one dish meal to share or just come and enjoy.

From the Garden

2011-08-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Fresh Marinara Sauce
Penny Bosko

6 lbs ripe tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
3-4 lg carrots
1/3 cup olive oil
2 TBSP dried basil
1 TBSP oregano
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Mix. bring to boil. simmer. and stir occasionally until thick - about 2 hours. Pour into canning jars and thy should seal or put in ziplock freezer bags.
Fresh Salsa
Penny Bosko

2-6 tomatoes diced
1-3 any color bell pepper diced
3-4 green onions
1-2 ears of corn
1/4 cup cilantro

Add can of black beans or a firm avocado if desired

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Kori Archibald

3-1/4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 qt. fully ripe strawberries)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 box MCP Pectin

1 cup corn syrup

4-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

CRUSH strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 3-1/4 cups crushed strawberries into large bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Stir in pectin; let stand 30 min., stirring every 5 min. Stir in corn syrup. Gradually add sugar, stirring until well blended. Stir an additional 3 min. or until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)

FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Charred Tomato Gazpacho

Carolann Wedlund

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup crustless white bread cubes
1 large clove garlic
Kosher salt
3 1/4 pounds tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 Kirby cucumber
1 green bell pepper
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Heat the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and 1/2 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat until the seeds are toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a liquid measuring cup. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the spiced oil and about half of the seeds to a small bowl; reserve for topping.

Put the bread cubes in a bowl, cover with water and let soak 2 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry and set aside.

Mince the garlic, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and mash it into a paste with the flat side of a knife.

Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and grill until charred, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer half each of the charred tomatoes, bread, garlic paste, sugar and vinegar to a blender; add 1/4 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. With the motor running, add about half of the spiced oil from the measuring cup. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Blend the remaining tomatoes, bread, garlic paste, sugar and vinegar with the other half of the spiced oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then strain into the bowl. Chill the soup at least 2 hours.

Dice the cucumber and bell pepper. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls; drizzle with the reserved spiced oil and top with the diced vegetables.

Quinoa with Garden Vegetables

Elizabeth Champion

1 cup quinoa
1 cup wheat (or any other whole grain)

Prepare both all grains according to package directions.

2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup carrots, shredded or julienned
2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow),
chopped 3 green onions, diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1-2 medium zucchini, chopped
Note: This are the veggies I used. You can add or delete any veggie and it will still be good. Great way to use whatever you have in the garden
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cusp fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, then add in the grains. Toss with dressing A or B and serve warm or cold

Dressing A:
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. flaxseed oil
1/2 C fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
optional: 1/4 C fresh mint, chopped

Shake all ingredients in a pint jar and stir into mixture.

Dressing B:
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. chia or flax seeds
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh mint, diced or ½ tsp. dried mint

Mix orange juice and chia or flax seeds and let sit for ½ hour. Add remaining ingredients, mix, and pour over grain and veggie mixture. Also makes a great salad dressing.

Swiss-Almond Floret Bake

Shelley Baer

3 cups water
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 TBSP apricot jam
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 TBSP butter, melted

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower and broccoli; return to a boil. Cover a cook for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

In another large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the cheese, jam, curry, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.

Place the cauliflower and broccoli in a greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Top with cheese sauce. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 4-6 servings.

From the Garden

2011-07-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

Come and join us for our Test Kitchen this month on Wednesday, August 10th at 7pm at the Centerville Building Cultural Hall. Our theme is “From the Garden” and we will be having several demonstrations on how to take care of a garden, how to store the excess produce, how to make freezer jam, and also a presentation on tomatoes. Bring your favorite dish to share using fresh produce or just come and enjoy. Please bring a copy of your recipe so that we can post it on the blog.

International Night

2011-07-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

Indian Rice

Munne Baines

1-2 teaspoons of zeera (whole cumin seeds) which you drop in a pan with hot oil—about 3 Tablespoons

1 jalapeno pepper, grated (add more if you like things hotter)

2 inch piece of peeled ginger, grated

1 tomato, diced

3 teaspoons of salt

1 ½ teaspoons of black pepper

½ cup of frozen peas

2 potatoes, peeled and diced.

Sprinkle the whole cumin in the hot oil. Stir constantly into it changes lightly in color and becomes more aromatic. Next, add the jalapeno, ginger then tomato.

Saute. Add salt, pepper, frozen peas and potatoes. Saute for a few more minutes. Then your basmati rice add—3 cups of rice to 6 cups of water.

Cover pot with a lid and bring it to a boil. When boiling, turn down to low. Stir periodically so it won’t stick. Cook 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Indian Lentil Soup

Munne Baines

2 cups of yellow lentils (split moong dal)

2 cups of orange lentils (split masoor dal)

Rinse the lentils with cool water in a colander.

Add 20 cups of water to a pressure cooker. Add the yellow and orange lentils

To the lentils and water add:

3 teaspoons of salt

1 Tablespoon of oil

1 ½ teaspoon black pepper

4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 jalapeno peppers grated

3 cloves of garlic, grated

Seal the pressure cooker. When up to full pressure, turn down heat and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, and run a small stream of water over the pressure cooker to cool down before opening.

While the lentils are cooking, in a medium skillet heat the following:

2 Tablespoons of oil, when hot add:

1-2 teaspoons of zeera (whole cumin seed) Cook a minute or two until lightly aromatic and it slightly changed color

1 ½ onions diced

1 ½ - 2 tomatoes, diced.

Saute until cooked. Add to cooked lentils along with ½ cup chopped cilantro.

Curried Orange Chicken

Nancy Holladay

2 lbs chicken pieces - I prefer boneless, but bone-in works too

½ teas. curry powder – more or less to taste (I don’t measure it, just sprinkle what looks good)

Sprinkle chicken pieces with curry powder, rub curry into meat. Arrange in baking dish, skin side down.

¼ cup orange juice

2 Tbls. honey

1 Tbls. prepared mustard

Combine juice, honey, and mustard in small saucepan and simmer until blended. Or combine in microwave safe bowl and heat until it can be blended. We like lots of sauce, so I frequently double the amounts for the sauce. Pour over the chicken and bake in moderate oven - 375° for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and continue baking 20 minutes longer or till tender. I have been known to cover the baking dish if I might not be available to turn it and just let it cook. Remove chicken pieces to serving platter and reserve pan juices; keep chicken warm.

2 teas. cornstarch

1 Tbls. cold water (or more orange juice, if you like lots of orange)

½ orange, peeled, sliced and quartered – or use for garnish

In small saucepan on stove (or bowl for microwave), combine cornstarch and water; stir in reserved pan juices from chicken. Cook and stir till thick and bubbly. If you have increased the amount of sauce, you will need to increase the cornstarch and water too. Add orange pieces; heat 1 minute. Since I use orange juice in place of the water, I don’t usually add the orange pieces. Pour sauce over chicken on platter or serve separately to be spooned over hot cooked rice.

Taco Dip

Shelley Baer

Cook in a crock pot on low for 5 hours

1 can refried pinto beans

1 can refried black beans

2 chicken breasts

½ bag corn

1 cup salsa

After 5 hours stir to break up chicken and add:

1 8 oz cream cheese

1 package taco sauce

Cook for another hour and stir to break up the chicken some more.

Top with grated cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

International Night

2011-06-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

Test Kitchen is going International. It will be held on June 8th at 7pm. We will be having a demo on how to make some tasty Indian Dishes. Bring your favorite International dish to share or just come and enjoy.

Pizza Night

2011-04-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Easy Pizza Dough
Marja Himmist

1 c warm water
1 package yeast (or 1 T yeast)
1/4 t salt
1 T sugar
3 T oil
1 1/2 c flour (approximate)

Dissolve yeast in warm water; add salt, sugar and oil. Stir in flour until sticky. Continue to stir in enough flour until dough can be handled. Knead dough on a floured board until it is no longer sticky. Cover with a bowl for 5 minutes to rest. Prepare toppings while the dough rests.

Roll out dough on a floured board or counter to the desired size and transfer to a greased pizza pan. Add your favorite toppings. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

Stuffed Crust Pizza

Karen Tolliver

5 string cheeses cut lengthwise in half

pizza dough

Roll pizza dough out 2 inches larger than you want your pizza (i.e. if you want a 14 inch pizza roll out your dough to 16 inches). Place string cheese around the pizza, about an inch or two from the edge of the dough. Fold the dough over the string cheese. Press the dough so it seals completely.

**Tip** When you roll out your dough, if you let it sit for 5 min covered then it will keep it's shape when you move the dough.

Pizza Stone

Make sure that you follow the instructions for seasoning your stone. The pizza will stick the first few times. Use cornmeal or lots of oil to help the pizza not stick (I found that corn meal worked the best, it just was not fun eating the pizza because it made it nice and crunchy).

The benefits of the stone is that it helps to have even cooking, and it has a crunchier crust. You can use the stone for anything. I have heard of people baking cookies on it, or even rolls or biscuits. I have also had roommates leave their stone in the oven because it helps with even cooking for all things.

Make sure when cleaning your stone do not use soap. The stone is porous so if you use soap your food will taste like soap after that. All you need to do is scrape off the food, and then wash with water. You can cut right on the stone. It will get messy looking, but that's ok.

Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza
Carolann Wedlund

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe (recipe follows)
4 Pieces Garlic Naan Bread
16 oz fresh Mozzarella Cheese, shredded or sliced
1-2 Shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 Cup Cilantro, minced
1 Red Bell pepper or Tomato, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Take Naan bread and cover with sauce and chicken from Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe. Place shallots and red bell pepper or tomato over chicken and then cover with desired amount of Mozzarella cheese. Place "pizza" on a non stick sheet tray and bake in oven for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and the naan starts to brown around the edges. Sprinkle on Cilantro after pizza is out of the oven.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I usually make the following recipe for dinner and then use left overs for pizza, if you wish to only use it for the pizza you make want to half the recipe.

Ingredients

Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks

Sauce:

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)
2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 to 2 cups water
Oil, for grilling
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving

Directions

For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup canola oil

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

April Theme: Pizza!

2011-04-05T17:10:00.000-07:00

April's Test Kitchen will be held on Wednesday, April 13th at 7pm.We will be learning about everyone's favorite "go to" meal, Pizza!There will be demonstrations on how to make your own pizza dough,how to make "Health conscious" pizza, how to make stuffed crust pizza,and how to use a pizza stone.Bring your favorite pizza to share or just come and Enjoy!

Soup and Salad Night

2011-04-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

Basic Chicken and Broth
Teri Topham

(can be used for chicken noodle so
up, chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice soup, etc.)

3 to 3 ½ lb. chicken, cup up (chicken necks, backs and giblets can be used)

8 cups cold water

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 stalks celery, cut up

2 medium carrots, cut up

1 onion, cut in quarters

1 sprig parsley

Remove any excess fat from chicken. Place chicken, giblets (except liver) and neck in stock pot. Add remaining ingredients; heat to boiling. Skim foam; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 45 minutes.

Remove chicken from broth; cool chicken just until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Strain broth through cheesecloth-lined sieve. (I just use a colander. Your broth would be much more beautiful if you use the cheese-cloth, but I don’t have the patience!) Remove chicken from bones and skin; cut up chicken. Discard bones, skin and vegetables. Skim fat from broth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate broth and chicken in separate containers up to 24 hours, or freeze for future use.

About 6 cups broth; 110 calories, and about 3 cups cooked chicken; 715 calories.

Chicken and Leek Soup

2 ½ to 3 lb. chicken, cut up

1 medium carrot, sliced (about ½ cup)

1 medium stalk celery, sliced (about ½ cup)

1 bay leaf

½ cup uncooked barley

4 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon (dry)

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ cups sliced leeks

Heat all ingredients except leeks to boiling in stock pot; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add leeks. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from broth; cool chicken slightly. Remove chicken from bones and skin; cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Skim fat from broth; remove bay leaf. Add chicken to broth; heat until hot, about 5

minutes. 7 servings (about 1 cup each); 195 calories per serving.

Turkey Italian Sausage Minestrone

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup Italian turkey sausage, cut into small pieces

1 can tomato paste

½ cup finely chopped onion

1 cup sliced celery

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup sliced carrots

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can (14.5 oz.) chopped, canned tomatoes

5 cups chicken broth

1 can (15.5 oz.) white beans with liquid

1 can (16 oz.) red kidney beans, drained

2 cups zucchini cut into ½ inch pieces

2 cups baby spinach

1 cup cooked bowtie pasta (I use any kind I have)

pre-packed pesto

parmesean cheese

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan. Add sausage, cook until no longer pink. Add onions, celery, garlic, carrots and oregano. Cook until garlic is aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add tomato paste, tomatoes and chicken broth. Cook on low setting for 6-7 hours, 4 hours on high setting.

Stir in beans, zucchini, spinach and cooked pasta. Cook on high setting for 8 minutes or until beans and pasta are warmed through and spinach has wilted.

Pour the soup into bowls. Top with a little pesto and fresh parmesean cheese.

Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon butter

½ medium onion, finely chopped

¼ c. butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups half-and-half (I use whole milk)

2 cups chicken broth

½ pound fresh broccoli

1 cup carrots, julienned

salt and pepper to taste

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute onion in 1 T. butter. Set aside. Cook butter over medium heat until melted. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the half-and-half, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the grated cheese and nutmeg. Serve.

Champion Garlic Sauce

Elizabeth Champion

2 eggs
1/3 cup vinegar
2-3 cloves of garlic
10 shakes of salt
6 shakes of pepper
1 cup olive oil

Mix first five ingredients in blender on high for one minute. Turn blender down to medium, remove lid plug, and drizzle oil into blender. Once oil is all in, return plug and blend on high for one minute. Stores in fridge for weeks but does lose it's garlic potency so will need to add garlic again when used later.

Uses
Toss with Romaine lettuce and croutons and top with fresh Parmesan cheese for a Caesar's salad.
Double garlic and saute shrimp in sauce instead of oil or butter.
Use as a pizza sauce instead of marinara.
Use sauce as topping for fish tacos.

Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary

Carolann Wedlund

Ingredients

2 lb Butternut Squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of freshrosemary, plus 1 teaspoon, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup creme fraiche
Zest of one lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the squash in half through the stem and remove the seeds. Drizzle the cut edges with oil, season with salt and pepper, and put it, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Roast until very soft, about 1 hour. Remove the squash from the oven, turn the halves over and let them stand until cool enough to handle. Scoop the flesh from the shell, into a bowl and discard the shell.

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, covered. Add the butternut squash flesh into the soup and simmer for another 10 minutes, covered.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches or with an immersion blender, being careful to remove and discard the bay leaf. Return the soup to a soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl fold in the lemon zest and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary to 2/3 cup creme fraiche. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollopeach bowl with the lemon rosemary creme fraiche. Serve immediately.

6 Hour Beef Stew

3 lb lean beef cut into bite size chunks
5 Carrots in chunks
4 Potatoes in chunks
1 Yellow Onion in chunks
1/2 lb Mushrooms halved
1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 bay leaves
1 can of Golden Mushroom
1 can of Cream of mushroom
1 can of cream of celery
1 can of water
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix Together cans of soup, water, and Lipton onion soup mix in a separate bowl. Mix Everything together in a large dutch oven or pot (at least 6-8 Qts) and bake at 275 degrees for 6 hours.

Lemon & Fruit Salad

RaeDene Hodson

Whisk together

1 - 6 oz pkg lemon pudding (cook kind, not instant!)

3 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

When it is smooth and blended - whisk in 2 more cups water

Microwave on high for 8 minutes – stirring it every 2 minutes

After it has thickened and cooled, beat in

12 oz Cool Whip

Fold in

2 large cans pineapple chunks

2 cans mandarin oranges

Before serving, fold in 2 – 3 cut up bananas

Serve cold

Leek-Potato Soup
Carol Hansen

Mince the white part of:

3 medium leeks

1 medium-sized onion

Stir and saute them for 3 minutes in:

3 tBsp butter

Peel, slice very fine, and add:

4 medium-sized potatoes

Add:

4 cups chicken stock

Simmer the vegetables, covered, for 15 minutes or until tender. Put them through a sieve, food mill, or blender until smooth. You may want to leave a few lumps.

Add:

1-2 cups milk or cream

1/4 tsp mace

salt and white pepper to taste

CONFETTI TACO SALAD

Heidi Little

SHREDDED LETTUCE (ANY KIND)

CHOPPED TOMATOES

CHOPPED ONIONS

CHOPPED OLIVES

CHOPPED AVOCADOS

COOKED GROUND BEEF

ADD...CRUSHED DORITO CHIPS

TOSS WITH THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

EAT IMMEDIATELY AND ENJOY

White Chicken Chili
Wendy Hearn

28 ounces white beans (such as navy or Great Northern), rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 ounces canned green chili peppers, drained and chopped
2 pounds cooked chicken breast, chopped or shredded
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
In a skillet, cook onions over moderate heat until softened.
In a large pot, melt butter over low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes.
Stir in onions and gradually add broth, half-and-half, and milk, whisking constantly.
Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until thickened.
Stir in pepper sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper.
Add beans, chilies, chicken, cheese, and corn and cook chili over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Top with sour cream, additional cheese, or other toppings as desired.

makes 9 1-cup servings

Decadent Desserts V

2011-02-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Truffles:
Carolann Wedlund

Ingredients

Ganache, recipe follows, refrigerated until firm
Coatings: cocoa powder, caramelized hazelnuts, crunchy pearls, rainbow sprinkles, crushed toasted almonds, Toasted Shredded Coconut

Directions

Remove the chilled ganache from the refrigerator. Scoop out little amounts onto a parchment or waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Immediately roll out each scoop into golf ball-sized pieces.

Roll in the various coatings and arrange on a serving tray or store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to serve.

Ganache:

8 ounces good dark chocolate, chopped (not below 60 percent cocoa, recommended: Valrhona)
8 ounces heavy cream, scalded

Completely melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Add the cream to a medium bowl and pour in the chocolate. Whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny, elastic emulsion.

Valentine Cake Pop Bears Recipe:
Jenna Ralph and Becky Aililing

1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can frosting (16 oz.) [OR use 3/4 of container because we used it all and found it to be a little too doughy and sticky]
Wax paper
Black candy melts (1 lb. pkg.)
Lollipop sticks
Edible ink pens

Large jumbo heart sprinkles on the legs.

Black coated sunflower seeds for noses.

Black sugar pearls for eyes

A black edible ink pen for smiles.

Chocolate chips for the ears and nose structure

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
Mix thoroughly with 1 can frosting. (I use the back of a large spoon, but it may be easier to use fingers to mix together. But, be warned, it will get messy. Also, you may not need the entire can of frosting, so start out by using almost the entire can and add more if you need to.)
Roll mixture into quarter size balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50)
Melt chocolate in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.)
Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted candy coating and insert into the cake balls. (Insert a little less than halfway.) Also insert the chocolate chips into the melted candy coating and then into the cake balls for the ears and nose structure.
Place them in the freezer for a little while to firm up.
Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating in about halfway by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until the top part is covered. Return pops to the freezer to firm up again for just a couple of minutes. After chilling, dip the entire body into the bowl of melted candy coating. Make sure the bowl is deep enough to dip and remove in one motion. The coating should also be thin enough to completely coat the pop without having to stir it in the bowl.Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Don’t tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too. Attach nose, conversation heart and legs while the coating is still wet.
Place in a styrofoam block to dry.
Once dry, you can dip your toothpick into some of the leftover melted coating and dot some in position for the eyes. Then just attach the sugar pearls. Dot some on the legs and attach the jumbo heart sprinkles. Apply a little bit of coating to one side of the M&M’s candies and attach them to the body so they appear to be holding the hearts. Then just draw on some sweet smiles. Then you are done!

Elizabeth Champion

Almond Joy Fudge

1 cup agave nectar
1 cup coconut oil
Put both in a blender and set container in a sink of hot tap water to warm the oil.

1/2 cup raw powdered chocolate (or unsweetened cocoa)
Add this to the agave and oil and blend well then pour into a bowl.

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped almonds
Stir into chocolate mixture.

Pour unto 8x8 pan, chill 2 hours, and cut into squares

Note: I made this recipe for the first time for our Decadent Dessert V and it was waaaayyyy to sweet for me. I recommend cutting the agave by 1/2.

Macaroons
2 cups unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup almond flour (I just ground up almonds in my Vitamix)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 T. vanilla
Pinch of salt

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well to blend. Using a small scoop, scoop out rounds of the mixture onto a tray covered with parchment and freeze them.

Note: I made this recipe for the first time for our Decadent Dessert and it was waaaayyyy to sweet for me. I recommend cutting the agave and maple syrup by 1/2.

Almond Joy Cups
Place a scoop of the macaroon mixture into a small muffin tin and flatten.
Place a spoonful of the Almond Joy Fudge on top of the macaroon mixture.

Chill in fridge for two hours. Using a knife, scoop out each muffin tin and place Almond Joy cup on tray to serve or will also fit nicely in the little muffin papers if you want to be fancy.

Note: I came up with this Almond Joy Cup recipe as I was making the other two. I was really trying to find a way to recreate the Almond Joy you buy at the store. When I make these again I will do the following:

1. Place a scoop of the macaroon mixture into a small muffin tin and flatten.
2. Place two or three whole almonds on top of the macaroon mixture.
3. Make just the chocolate part of the Almond Joy Fudge (no almonds or coconut) and pour a little on top of the almonds/macaroon.

Chill in fridge for two hours. Using a knife, scoop out each muffin tin and place Almond Joy cup on tray to serve or will also fit nicely in the little muffin papers if you want to be fancy.

Banana Cake with Caramel Frosting

Brittany Poulton

18.25 ounce packaged plain yellow cake mix	½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon	2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed about 1 cup
1 cup water	½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs	1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350
Spray three 8 “ cake pans
Blend in I mixer oil eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and water. Once blended add the cake mix and beat for two minutes
Pour cakes into well-sprayed pans. Or butter and flour the pans. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until the cake pulls apart from the sides of the pan. Check with a toothpick to see if the center is set (no runny batter.

1 stick butter	½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, (sifted)	½ firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract	¼ cup whole milk

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, light and dark brown sugars and cook stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat with a portable mixer. I like to beat it over the heat until ready to pour it on the cake. Use it while warm or it will harden. If it does return the pan to low heat and stir until the frosting softens. This cake tastes better the second day. I cover it with a glass cake cover and the flavors blend together. Strawberry Short-Cake Jessica Skubal 1 pkg of Pound Cake Mix 2 cartons of Heavy Whipping Cream 2-3 cups confectioners sugar 50-60 strawberries Make Pound Cake as instructed by package in a 9 x 9 pan. Let cool. Then cut into small squares. Whip the heavy cream in mixer and when fluffy add 2-3 cups of confectioners sugar. Do not beat to much, may turn to butter consistency(you don’t want that). Wash and cut strawberries in half and place aside. Use a trifle bowl to layer your filling. Put cake squares on bottom then put a layer of whipped cream, then strawberries. Then another layer of whipped cream and then the cake squares. And keep layering. You don’t want the cake and strawberries to touch, because the cake will get wet with the strawberries. End layers with strawberries on top. Chocolate Covered Brownies Nancy Stewart Ghirardelli Brownie mix Chocolate Chips

Just make the brownies according to instructions. Let cool. Melt chocolate chips or chocolate in bulk. Cut brownies to preferred size, dip in melted chocolate & place on parchment paper to harden. For variety, you can roll them in chopped nuts, coconut, etc. Lots of options. These can be frozen. * I melted chocolate in microwave. If using chocolate chips, it works well to add 1 tbs. cooking oil to one 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips before placing them in microwave to melt.

Decadent Desserts V

2011-02-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

Decadent Desserts V is coming up for Valentines Day so,

come and taste the richness of many fine desserts made by the sisters we love.

We will have a demonstration on how to make truffles......oh yes...hhmmmm

See you all there!!!

Healthy Foods (Jan. 2011)

2011-02-04T12:52:00.000-08:00

Artificial sweeteners:
This is a list of some, not all.

Sorbitol
Mannitol
Glycerol
Acesulfame Potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)
Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
Cyclamate
Isomalt
Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low)
Sucralose (Splenda)
Alitame
Thaumantin
Neohesperidine Dihydrochalcone
Aspartame-acesulfame Salt
Maltitol
Lacitol
Xylitol
Erythritol

These artificial sweeteners burden the entire system of the body, but mostly burden the Brain in many ways.
http://www.life-enthusiast.com/index/Education/Aspartame
http://aspartame.mercola.com/
(Great article!! Very informative)

Processes Sugars:
This is a list of some, not all.

Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Sucrose
Dextrose
Glucose
Corn Sweeteners
Fruit juice conentrate
Lactose
Maltose
Malt Syrup
Syrup

These processed sugars burden the entire system of the body, but mostly burden the blood sugar and the pancreas.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2143756_out-refined-sugar-childs-diet.html

Natural Sugars/ Raw Sugars
This is a list of some, not all.

Maple Syrup
Coconut Crystals
Raw Sugar Cane
Malasses
Honey
Agave
Turbinado

These natural raw sugars should still be eaten in moderation, but our bodies are able to process them. They have DNA that registers with our DNA. They are naturally grown plants.

Pecan Cranberry Quinoa

Elizabeth Champion

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 clove garlic
2 cups water
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted under broiler
1 orange, red, or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. agave
1 Tbsp. dried basil

Saute garlic in oil in saucepan, and add quinoa and stir until toasted. Add water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer 15 mins. Blend 6 dressing ingredients in blender. Toss cooked quinoa with all other ingredients and the dressing. Serve cold or hot. Taken from 12 Steps to Whole Foods, by Robyn Openshaw (greensmoothiegirl.com)

Roasted Garlic Aioli Sauce
Ashley Eyre

1 1/2 cups almonds, soaked overnight and dreained
1 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds, soaked overnight and drained
1 head garlic, roasted, cooled, skins removed from cloves
1 red pepper, roasted, peeled and seeds removed OR
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (I put in both the pepper and tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. original himalayan crystal salt (I used sea salt)
2 cloves fresh garlic
freshly ground pepper

Put all liquids in blender then add the other ingredients. Add a bit of water to blend to a smooth or chunky texture, whichever you prefer. (between 1 cup and 1 1/2 cups)
This is so thick it tends to burn out your blender. If this happens, don't panic, just let it cool and it will work again. (I use a vitamix or blend tec, I am not sure how it will do in other blenders.)

We use this as a dip for veggies and crackers, put it on baked potatoes in place of sour cream. It can be tossed with pasta and veggies or used in wraps. I have frozen it to use it for later (it makes A LOT), but the texture isn't as smooth after its been frozen.

Dairy-Free Lasagna
Ashley Eyre

"Cheese" sauce 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (NOT salted)
1 1/2 cups cashews
2 cups water
2 vegatable boullion cubes (I really like the rapunzel brand from the health food section at raleys)
Blend in blender

Pre-cook noodles (if you want it to be gluten free, use rice noodles)

Drizzle olive oil on bottom of pan
Layer noodles-cheese sauce- sliced zuccini and/or squash/eggplant (whatever vegetable you like)
repeat layering

Sometimes I sprinkle italian seasoning on each layer.

Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Carolann Wedlund

4 to 5 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (test banana sweetness)

Cut the bananas into 1-inch pieces and freeze. Put the frozen bananas in a food precessor and puree, scraping down sides periodically, until smooth. Add the peanut butter and honey and puree. Serve immediately or refreeze until ready to enjoy.

Holiday Traditions (Nov. 2010)

2010-11-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

Basic Pie Crust(Demo)
Kristin Murray

We have Kristin’s recipe for her amazing pies on her blog, that includes step by step pictures of the crust, so you know exactly what it looks like in your progression. You can click on the link below. You don’t want to miss this one for the holidays.
http://kristinannbeck.blogspot.com/2009/04/pie-crust.html

Microwave Carmel Corn
from Nancy Holladay via Roberta McBride and Laurene Beck

1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teas baking soda
8-10 quarts popped popcorn (in a brown paper grocery bag)

Microwave setting: High

Mix the sugar, corn syrup and butter or margarine in large (1 qt) microwavable container and cook in microwave for 2 minutes.
Stir and microwave for 2 minutes.
Stir and microwave for 2 more minutes (total of 6 minutes so far).
Quickly add baking soda and stir well. The mixture will double in bulk.
Quickly pour over the popcorn which is in a large, paper grocery bag, turn down the top and shake vigorously.
Place bag in microwave and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Shake vigorously.
Microwave for 1 minute, shake vigorously and pour out onto a well-buttered counter or table (or on wax paper) and separate with a wooden spoon. Cool.

Grandma Holladay’s Cranberry Jello Salad
Nancy Holladay

1 large pkg. Cherry gelatin (Jello)
1/2 (up to 1) cup sugar, as needed
3-4 cups water, boil (at least 2 cups) to dissolve the jello and sugar – then add the rest of the water

Mix into the dissolved jello:
1 pkg (about 12-16oz) cranberries, ground or finely chopped
6-8 apples, ground or finely chopped
1 orange or 1 can mandarin oranges, chopped

Set and serve.

Crème Brulle French Toast

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (recipe called for 1 cup, we found it too sweet)1 tablespoon corn syrup (recipe called for 2 Tbsp, we found it too sweet)
Bread, sliced, to cover butter mixture (we use thick slices of soft French bread)
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (I combine heavy whipping cream and milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan (or glass measuring cup in the microwave), melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread pieces on top. Beat together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over the top of the bread. Cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Turn pieces upside-down to serve with caramel on top.

Susie Powers, from the Eastlake Ward, Denver North Stake in Thornton, Colo., sent her recipe for Creme Brulee French Toast to Deanna Buxton for inclusion in the "Worldwide Ward Cookbook," published by Covenant Communications in 2008.

"My sister got the recipe for this yummy breakfast dish at a bridal shower, and it has since become a tradition in our home for special occasions," Powers writes. "It is a dish that our children look forward to on Christmas morning, Thanksgiving morning, Easter and general conference Sundays. My daughter is married now, and this recipe has become one of her new traditions with her husband."

Pecan Brittle
Barbara Pimental

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water Combine and boil with lid on for 2 or
1/2 lb. butter 3 minutes

Add 1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnluts, or pecans). Cook and stir until brittle. Test, by dropping a few drops of it in cold water. Cook until when you take the dropped our, it forms a ball that cllicks when you hit it agains the side of the dish. Use a good heavy pan and stir constantly until done.

Pour out on a cookie sheet pan. When cool break into pieces.

Monkey Bread
Jessica Skubal

1 package dry butterscotch pudding mix(not instant)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 package of frozen roll dough(24 pieces)

In a bowl with a tight lid, combine pudding mix, sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Melt butter in a shallow bowl.
Dip a few pieces of dough into the butter, then roll in the pudding mix; cover and shake.
Remove dough pieces and place in a greased fluted tube or bundt pan and put the rest of the mix with it.
Continue until all of the dough is in the pan. Leave out on your counter with a towel over to rise. And when you wake up the next morning put it right in the oven. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes.
Dump right onto a plate and serve…will be hot.

Magical Mint Cookies
Teri Topham

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
about 48 Hershey's chocolate mint kisses, unwrapped
powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Mold a scant tablespoon of dough around each chocolate mint kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool about 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. About 4 do

2010-11-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

November Theme

Holiday Traditions

For Thanksgiving do have a great pie recipe or cranberry salad that you bring every year, or maybe some yummy fudge or Christmas breakfast in mind. We would love for you to share your wonderful Traditions!

Remember the location has been changed to Jan Skubal's home...same time different place.

Pumpkin Recipes and Crock Pot Dishes (October 2010)

2010-10-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Basic Cheese Cake
Barbara Lindsay

3 lbs. cream cheese
14 oz. or 1 ¾ cup sugar
6 ea- eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla

½ recipe
1 ½ lbs or 3 blocks cream cheese
7 oz. or 1 cup sugar
3 ea- eggs
1 ½ Tbsp vanilla

(good for a 8-10 in. tall pan)

1/3 recipe
1 lb or 2 blocks cream cheese
Rounded ½ cup (4.66 oz.) of sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

(good for a mug or 6 in. cheesecake)

Crust options:
Nutter butters
Oreo
Graham cracker
Ginger snaps
Vanilla cookies

Pumpkin Filling
(reserve 1 cup or so of cheesecake batter to incorporate--fold in pumpkin filling, not stir.)

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. all spice
¼ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. salt
1 cup pumpkin

(If you want to use this recipe to make a regular pie, use half the eggs and add 1 cup of milk.)

Bake 300 degrees for 45 min. or until jello-y, not watery when shaken. Open oven door and let cool for an hour.

Almond Milk Fresh Peach Ice Cream
Janice Carlile

3 cups fresh peaches whirled in food processor or blender
½ lemonade drink powder with sugar

1 cup almond milk
1 Tbs. corn starch
2 Tsp. plain gelatin softened in 1 Tbs. water (cook until thick, stirring constantly)
¼ Tsp. Salt
1 ½ cup sugar

Remove from heat and stir in peach mixture and 2 more cups of almond milk. Chill mixture and then freeze in ice cream maker.

Place in covered bowl to harden until ready to serve. Works good a for a lactose free diet.

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Enchiladas with Cinnamon spiced Crema
Ann Epperson

Serves 4-6

Sauce
2 oz butter
5 Tbsp flour
2 c. beef broth
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp grounded cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1 tsp brown sugar
½ c Crema Mexicana (find it in the refrigerator section by the cheese and yogurt aisle)

Filling
10 oz chorizo (beef or pork)
1 small butternut squash (or small sugar pumpkin – the one used for pies), or 1 – 16 oz bad of frozen squash cook per bag instructions)

Topping
12 – 16 corn tortillas
½ pkg (5oz) Queso Quesadilla shredded

Sauce: melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minuted on medium heat, stirring consistently. Slowly whisk in broth. Add remaining ingredients, except Crema Mexicana, and whisk thoroughly. Bring to a slight boil, remove from heat. Let cool, mix in Crema.

Filling: cook chorizo to package instructions and drain well. Set aside. Split squash in half, remove seeds, poke holes in surface, and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool, scoop out tender flesh and mash. Add cooled chorizo.

Lightly coat bottom of baking dish with sauce. Scoop filling into tortillas, roll and place into dish. Cover the top with remaining sauce, top with cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, or until cheese browns.

Note: I used shelled pumpkin seeds (Trader Joes) as part of the garnish. Additionally, you may opt to serve with sour cream or the Mexican sour cream found next to the Crema. Chorizo comes in both mild and hot, be careful of the one you select. Lastly, play with the recipe, I like more cumin in the sauce, and I used a pumpkin and the time before a banana squash.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cindy Hess

1 c butter
2½ c sugar
2 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and add sugar. Mix in eggs. Blend in pumpkin. Add 1 tsp vanilla and mix together well.

Mix the following dry ingredients:
4½ c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture. Add 1 cup chocolate chips. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Makes 5 dozen cookies. ENJOY!
For best results, store in a Ziploc bag. They are even better
and more moist the next day!

Pumpkin Soup
Jessica Skubal

2 Tbs. butter
8 oz. mushrooms
½ cup chopped onion
Sautee’
Stir in 2 Tbsp flour

Add:
1 tsp curry
3 cup chicken broth
2 cup pumpkin
Cook till thickened

Stir in 1 Tbs. honey
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. pepper

Puree all ingredients

Put back in pan and add 1 12 oz. evaporated milk then heat.

Apple Cinnamon Delight

Nancy Stewart

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together until smooth: 1 cup brown sugar
½ cup apple sauce
½ cup butter
1 ½ cups white sugar

Add:………………………….1 tbsp. milk
1 ½ tsp. vanilla

Beat & add…………………...2 eggs

Stir in………………………...1 cup fresh corn flakes (crumbled)
3 cups quick oats

Sift together………………….1 ½ cups flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt*
½ mace*
*(or to taste) 1 ½-2 tsp. cinnamon*
¼ tsp. nutmeg*
1/8 tsp. powdered cloves*

Stir in…………………………1 ½ cups diced dried apples
1 pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips
1cup walnuts, almonds or pecans,
(chopped)

Spread dough evenly in large casserole dish or on cookie sheet (greased).
Bake approx. 15-20 minutes. Cool & serve.

For healthier recipe, you can substitute all applesauce for butter, & increase flour by approx. ¼ cup.

Pumpkin Dip
Carolann Wedlund

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
8 ounces Cool Whip

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy; add canned pumpkin and spices.
Fold in Cool Whip; mix until creamy.
Chill for 8 hours
Serve with apple slices/ginger snaps/graham crackers.

CROCK POT DISHES

Italian Chicken Delight
Gayle Hollingshaus

4-6 chicken breasts (cut in pieces if desired)
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 cans cream of chicken soup (10 oz size)
1 envelope “Good Season” dry Italian salad dressing
1 cup milk 1 box frozen chopped spinach (optional)

Put in a crock pot and cook on low for 6–8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles

Artichoke Chicken & Olives
Susan Olsen

1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast chunked
1/2 cup to 1 cup sliced black olives
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 - 14 1/2 oz. Can diced tomatoes
3 T. quick cooking tapioca
1 - 8-9 oz package frozen artichoke hearts
3/4 t. dried thyme, crushed
(Trader Joes has them cheapest)
2/3 t. curry powder
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 t. salt
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 t. pepper

Rinse chicken. Set aside. In crock pot combine mushrooms, undrained tomatoes, frozen artichoke hearts, chicken broth, onions, olive, and broth. Stir in tapioca, and spices. Add chicken. Spoon some of the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7-8 hours or on high setting for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Serve with hot cooked couscous or rice. Serves 6.

Mission Chicken
Nancy Holladay

2 1/2 - 3 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces
1 (6 oz) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 teas. ground cinnamon
2 or 3 drops hot pepper sauce
1/4 teas. ground cloves
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 teas. Salt
3 T. water
1/2 teas. seasoned salt
1 cup seedless grapes, halved (optional)
1/4 teas. lemon pepper
1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds (optional)
(To toast: heat in 350° oven about 10 min. or until golden brown)

Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, cloves, salt seasoned salt, lemon pepper, orange juice concentrate, and hot pepper sauce. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW about 5 hours or until chicken is tender. Turn control to HIGH. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water; stir into cooking juices in cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in grapes. Sprinkle with almonds.

Crock Pot Pork Chops
Wendy Pellissier

6 pork chops (1/2 inch thick)
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brow or grill both sides of pork chops in frying pan on stove top. Sprinkle with pepper. Place pork chops in Crock Pot with soup. Do NOT add water. Cover and set on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7 hours.

Italian-Style Pot Roast
Teri Topham

1-6oz. can tomato paste
1-16 oz. can tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 med. onion, chopped
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 med. carrots, chopped
2 tsp. fresh* oregano, chopped
1 medium potato, chopped
2 tsp. fresh* thyme, chopped
1 large celery stalk, sliced
1 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lbs. chuck roast, trimmed of any excess fat
*You may substitute 1 tsp. each of dry herbs for the fresh.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the tomato paste, garlic, onion soup mix, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the chuck roast and place the roast in the Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients and any leftover tomato sauce. Cover and cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (or on high for 4 to 5 hours). Makes 6 servings. Serve with pasta or rice.

World’s Easiest French Dip
Nancy Holladay

Start this recipe the day before; it takes a long time, but is easy and good.

5 to 6 lb. rump roast (I sometimes do about 7 lb., just add more broth)
2 pkgs. dry Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
2 pkgs. Schilling (or other) Au Jus mix
2 cans beef broth (or broth to almost cover roast)

Cook on low in the crock pot all day, then refrigerate. Next day, skim off all the solid fat and cook on low all day again. (If you start this late, it can cook all night and all day, but it is harder to remove the fat.) Before serving, shred meat with a fork (it should be very tender) Serve on French rolls (or buns or whatever you have) with some of the au jus for dipping.

This serves a LOT, so you could do a half recipe (or freeze half). My sister-in-law loves to add more broth and water when the meat is mostly gone and make a beef barley soup. Just add barley, vegetables, and whatever you want---cook till tender. I have thickened the broth and added sour cream and served it over noodles or rice.

My Favorite Chili
Wendy Pellissier

Brown Together:
1 pound ground beef (can also use ground turkey) and 3 cloves garlic

Place meat mixture in Crock Pot and then add the following:
1/2 chopped onion
1 40 oz can pinto beans, slightly drained
2 T. chili powder
1 10-15 oz can black beans
1 t. cumin
1 5 oz can tomato sauce
1 28 oz can tomatoes
1 4 oz can dices green chilies

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Feel free to omit or add any other kind of beans you like.

Hot Pocket Stew
Wendy Pellissier

4-5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups chopped ham
1 cup milk garlic salt
1 can cheddar cheese soup pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup

Mix all ingredients together in Crock Pot and cook for 5 hours on low setting.

Barbecued Pulled-Pork Fajitas
Kortnee Feriante

Prep:15 minutes Cook:10 hr + 30 minutes
2 1/2 pound pork boneless loin roast, trimmed of fat 1 bag (1 lb) frozen stir-fry bell peppers & onions
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups barbecue sauce
18 flour tortillas (8-10 inches in diameter)
3/4 cup chunky salsa Shredded cheese, if desired
1 Tbsp chili powder Guacamole, if desired
1 tsp ground cumin Sour Cream, if desired

1. Place pork in 3 to 4 quart slow cooker. Place onion on top. Mix barbecue sauce, salsa, chili powder and cumin; pour over pork and onion.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
3. Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Shred pork, using 2 forks. Return pork to cooker and mix well. Stir in stir-fry vegetables and salt. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and vegetables are tender.
4. Using slotted spoon to remove pork mixture from cooker, fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup pork mixture. Fold one end of tortilla up about 1 inch over filling; fold right and left sides over folded end, overlapping. Fold remaining end down. Serve with cheese, guacamole and sour cream. 18 fajitas
Variation: Use for shredded pork tacos, enchiladas and burrito fillings. You can use 2 1/2 pounds beef boneless chuck roast instead of the pork.

Chocolate Lava Cake
Susan Olsen

1 cup flour 1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
2 cups boiling water
2 T. cooking oil
1/2 cup peanut butter

In bowl, stir together first four ingredients. Add milk, oil, vanilla; stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in the bottom of a greased crock pot. In another bowl combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Stir in boiling water and peanut butter. Pour evenly over batter in crock pot. Cover and cook on high heat for 2 hours-2 hours 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch in center comes out clean. Let stand uncovered for 30 minutes to slightly cool. Serve with ice cream.

Caramel-Apple Pudding Cake
Susan Olsen

1 cup flour
1/4 cup dried apples
1/3 cup sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 cup water
1/4 t. ground cardamon or 1/2 t cinnamon
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup milk
2 T. butter
2 T. cooking oil
1 T. finely chopped crystallized ginger OR 1/2 cup chopped, roasted pecans
1/4 t. ground ginger

In bowl, stir together first four ingredients. Add milk and oil and stir until combined. Stir in nuts and dried fruit. Spread batter in bottom of greased crock pot. In small saucepan combine brown sugar, water, apple juice, butter, and ginger. Bring to boil and boil for two minutes. Pour mixture evenly over batter in crock pot. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-2 1/2 hours. Let stand for 30 minutes Serve warm with ice cream.

2010-10-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

October

Crockpot recipes
and Fall recipes with Pumpkin and OrangesWe are going to have a great demo on

Pumpkin Cheesecake by Sis. Lindsay.

You don't want to miss this one!

2010-08-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

We are skipping September

because of the Humanitarian Project and School starts...

but we will see you in October!Happy Halloween!

Grilling and Sides that go with BBQ (Aug. 2010)

2010-08-18T15:02:00.001-07:00

Veggie Dip
Elizabeth Champion

2/3 c. mayonnaise
2/3 c. sour cream
1 T. parsley
1 t. dill
1 t. onion powder
1 t. celery salt

Mix all ingredients and enjoy with any veggie.

Grilled Pizza (Demo)
Anne Epperson

-Use your favorite pizza dough (dough machine, Trader Joe's, etc)

-Use your favorite ingredients (artichoke hearts, piquillo peppers, calmetta olives, pesto, sundried tomatoes, goat cheese)

Step #1

Preheat grill on high. On a pizza pan or peal, lightly spread olive oil over pan to prevent dough from sticking. Press out pizza dough to desired thickness, lightly sprinkle with salt. With salt side up, remove dough from pan and place directly on hot grill.
Step #2

Depending on your grills BTU power, watch to ensure bottom does not burn. My grill takes about 5-6 minutes, Megan’s grill took about 3. During the baking process, rotate the dough a ¼ turn. When dough is ready, remove from heat, flip, and build your pizza. Return to the grill, the uncooked side should be the bottom.

Step #3

Depending on your toppings, turn the heat down until cheese is melted, you may need to turn off all but one burner to control the temperature.

Variations:
Pepperoni Pizza
Veggie Pizza
Mediterranean
Create mini pizzas
Grill both sides of the dough, remove from grill, immediately brush with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian seasoning and top with a summer salad
Desert pizza

Homemade Marshmellows (Demo)
Anne Epperson

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Step #1

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Step #2

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
Step #3

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Tropical Cold Pork and Beans

Nancy Holladay

White Beans with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Gayle Hollingshaus

Vinaigrette:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato-infused oil
(from jar of sun-dried tomatoes)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¼ tsp kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

Beans:
1 (16 oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c cup diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 basil leaves, chopped
1 oz. grated manchego or Romano cheese

Step #1

To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together all
ingredients in small bowl.
Step #2

To prepare beans, place beans in a large bowl.
Pour vinaigrette over beans. Let stand at least an hour.
Add onion, garlic, basil and cheese just before serving.

Makes 3 ½ cups. Serves 6.

Grilled Pineapple
Robin Kalcic

Cut one pineapple into chunks. Sprinkle raw sugar onto pineapple . Put onto grill and make sure you grill both sides. The sugar will carmelize. Can put with vanilla ice cream or any kind of meat.

Daddy's Baby Back Ribs (Demo)
Dan Skubal

1. Unwrap ribs from package and wash ribs in water. Pat dry with paper towel.

2. Place ribs with bone side up on a piece of clear saran wrap. ( A little bit longer than the ribs). Using a Knife remove the white membrane.
*** Costco baby back ribs already have the membrane removed & come in a pack of (3).

3. Sprinkle on your "Dry Rub" and then rub it into the meat. (both sides)

4. Wrap your ribs up with the 1st sheet of saran wrap. Then place a 2nd sheet of saran wrap on the counter and wrap it again. Wrap it tight, covering all of the meat. This will cause a steaming effect while it cooks.

5. Now wrap the ribs that are covered in saran wrap in foil. Then wrap them again in foil. The foil will protect the saran wrap from melting.

6. Preheat the oven to 300 Degrees. Bake the ribs in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. (I put them in a large pan)

7. Remove them from the oven. Let them cool down for 15-20 minutes. Remove all the foil & saran wrap

8. Place ribs on the grill and cook to your liking. (I cook on a Med-High.)

9. Baste or "Mop" on BBQ sauce while you are cooking the ribs on the grill. Once ribs are cooked, add a little bit more BBQ Sauce.

Daddy's Dry Rub

- 1 Tbsp - Stubb's Bar B Q spice rub
- 1 Tbsp - Liquid Smoke
- 1 Tsp - Garlic Dude Dust ( Find online)
- 1 Tsp - Weber Sweet N Tangy BBQ Seasoning
- 1/2 Tsp - Garlic Salt

Place in a bowl & mix together. Should be like a toothpaste consistency.

Daddy's BBQ Sauce

1-2 Cup of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce & mix with
1-2 Tbsp of Liquid Smoke.

Calico Beans
Jan Skubal

½ lb. sausage
½ lb. diced bacon
½ lb. lean ground beef
1 Large chopped onion
2 Tbl. Sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup BBQ sauce
1 Tbl. Mustard
2 Tbl. Molasses
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans
1 (16 oz.) can butter beans
1 (28 oz.) can pork and beans in tomato sauce
1 can black beans
1 can white beans

Step #1

Saute bacon until crisp. Add ground beef and chopped onion and cook until meat loses its red color. Drain off fat.

Step #2

Mix together the sugars, ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard, molasses, salt, and pepper. Add to the first mixture along with the undrained beans. Place in large casserole or Dutch oven. Cover and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for one hour. Uncover the last 15 minutes of baking if the mixture is too juicy.

Makes about 12 servings.

Fennel and Cabbage Slaw
Carolann Wedlund

1 fennel bulb, core removed, cut into quarters, and sliced very thinly, fronds reserved
1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
2 scallions, chopped
3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

For the dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Toss the fennel, cabbage, scallions, and bacon together in a medium bowl. Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, fennel fronds, sugar, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a small bowl. Add the dressing to the slaw and toss to coat.

2010-07-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

August 11th

Grilling and all sides that go with a great BBQ!
Going to make Hamburgers, Veggies, Steak or Ribs?
What's your grilling pleasure!

One Hour Bread (May 2010)

2010-05-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

One Hour Bread
Penny Lindsay (Demo)

2 Loaves

5 ¼ C. Flour
¼ C. Sugar
½ T. Salt
1 Rounded T. Yeast
2 T. Soy Lechithin
2 C. Hot water

3 Loaves

7 1/3 C. Flour
1/3 C. Sugar
2 t. Salt
2 rounded T. Yeast
2 T. Lechithin
3 C. hot water

4 Loaves

10 ½ C. Bread Flour or wheat Flour
½ C. Sugar
1 T. Salt
3 rounded T. SAF-instant yeast
3 T. Liquid Lechithin
4 C. Hot water

Mix Dry ingredients(Use ONLY SAF Instant Yeast,can be found at Smart & Final). Add Lechithin and water. Mix for 1 min. and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add more water. Dough should be very sticky, like cookie dough at first. Mix for 5 min. (10 min. if using wheat flour). Do not add flour to the dough after it has finished mixing. Spray counter/bread board and pans with Pam Only. Shape Loaves(get all air pockets out) and cover with a dish towel. Let raise for 25 min. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min.

Penny's Tips for making 1 hour bread:

Penny prefers to use 1/2 white bread flour and 1/2 wheat flour. But if using 100% whole wheat, use 1 T. more lechithin. If you use fresh ground wheat flour, you only need to let the dough raise 18 minutes instead of 25 minutes because the flour is already warm.

After all the ingredients are mixed in, before the kneading begins, the dough should look like chocolate chip cookie dough. After the kneading it will look like smooth bread dough and pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Use a wide mouth canning jar ring to cut hamburger buns out of the dough.

Never pull your dough apart to separate into loaves or rolls. Always use a knife to cut the dough.

To raise the dough, be sure and cover with a towel as yeast needs dark to grow. Make sure it is in a warm place with no breeze.
You can cut bread loaves right out of the oven without squishing it, with an electric knife.

For the pizza dough: let it raise if you like thick crust or cook right away if you prefer thin crust.

Penny's pizza toppings were: alfredo sauce, cooked chicken, pizza blend cheese, green peppers, and mushrooms. Bake at 400 until done.

Penny’s Sloppy Joes

2 lbs. hamburger
½ lg. onion
1 can chicken Gumbo Soup
1 C. Ketchup
¼-1/3 C. brown sugar
4 t. mustard
1 T. Worchestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper

Brown your hamburger and sauté the onions. Drain excess fat from the pan. Add the other ingredients and let it simmer for 15 min. If it seems a little dry, add a little water to it.
My family loves this with homemade Hamburger buns and oven fries! The secret to the recipe is the chicken gumbo soup. Don’t know what it adds, but it makes it great!

Teri Topham’s Oatmeal Bread (with a Twist)
Penny Lindsay

Makes 3 Loaves:
1 ½ C. Oats (uncooked)
3 ½ C. Hot Water
½ C. Honey

8 C. Bread flour or wheat Flour
3 rounded T. SAF instant Yeast
1 T. Salt

3 T. Lechithin
Honey Butter
½ C. Butter
¼ C. Honey
½ t. Cinnamon
½ t. Vanilla

Stir it up.
You’re Done!!!

In a bowl mix Hot water, oatmeal, and honey. Let it sit while you mix dry ingredients together in your mixing bowl. Add lechithin and then the liquid. Mix for 1 min. Dough should be sticky, like cookie Dough. Add a little more water if it’s too dry, never flour. Continue mixing for 5 min.(10 min. if you are using wheat flour). Turn out on breadboard sprayed with Pam. Shape into 3 loaves and let rise for 25 min. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. It’s yummy with Teri’s honey butter.

Cheesy Spread
Megan Bodily

1 Cup grated cheddar cheese ( I like sharp the best)
1/2 Cup Mayo
2 T Finely chopped white onion
2 T Parmesan Cheese

Mix together, if not moist enough add more mayo.
Spread on bread and bake at 375 until the cheese bubbles

100% Whole Wheat Rolls
Elizabeth Champion

2 1/3 cups Warm water 2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. active dry yeast 2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup lite olive oil or coconut oil 6 – 6 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup honey 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Pour hot water (110 to 120 degrees F) into mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast on top and let set 5 minutes.
Add oil, honey, and salt. Add eggs; beat well. Pour 5 cups of flour on top of liquids to make a layer of flour. Make a trough in flour and pour in vinegar. Mix thoroughly with bread hook. Knead in enough flour to make soft dough. (Amount will depend on dryness of flour, moisture in the air, etc. If unsure, just mix in 1 ½ cups more.) Let stand for 10 minutes.
Spray board or counter and hands with olive oil spray. Knead until smooth and elastic and shape into rolls. Let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
Bake at 425 degrees F. for 12 minutes. Brush tops with more oil while still hot in pans. Move to cooling racks.
Makes approx. 3 dozen

White Bread recipe for bread machine
Melanie Droubay

3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Dry milk
1 1/2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp dry yeast

Artichoke Spread (makes about 2 cups)
Anne Epperson

1 box of frozen artichokes, defrosted
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese (or other hard Italian cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (more or less)

In a food processor add the artichoke hearts, cheese, salt and pepper and grind for 1 minute. Slowly drizzle the olive oil while the food processor is running. Grind to desired consistency. Serve immediately with bread or crackers, or refrigerate. (personal note: I'm thinking this might be good over pasta, instead of red sauce.)

Corn Bread
Jessica Skubal

1 ½ Cups Flour
2/3 Cup sugar
½ Cup Albers Yellow Corn meal
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 ¼ Cups Milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 Cup oil
3 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Mix all dry ingredients together separate from the liquid ingredients, then combine the two. Bake for 35 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Banana Muffins
Nancy Stewart

¼ C. butter
¼ C. Vanilla fat-free yogurt
¾ C. sugar
1 ½ C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 ripe bananas (2-3 cups mashed)
Cream butter, yogurt & sugar
In separate bowl, mix dry goods

Alternately add mashed bananas & flour mixture.
(Nuts, choc. chips optional)
Bake at 335 degrees, 15-18 minutes

Banana Bread
Nancy Stewart

6 large ripe bananas, mashed
4 eggs, well-beaten
½ C. shortening
½ C. vanilla yogurt (can substitute 1 C. applesauce for shortening & yogurt)
2 C. sugar
4 C. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
Nuts and/or chips optional

Cream sugar & shortening w/well-beaten eggs
Combine dry goods in separate bowl
Alternately add mashed bananas & flour mixture.
Bake in loaf pans. 350 degrees. 45 minutes.

Trader Joe's Night (April 2010)

2010-05-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Chili Cornbread Casserole
Janine Weston (demo)

1 box Trader Joes cornbread mix
2 cans chili (regular or vegetarian)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 bag Fritos corn chips (optional)
2 cups grated cheese (optional)
1 4oz can sliced olives

Start with 1 box Trader Joes cornbread mix. Mix according to directions on the box, pour in a lightly greased 9x13 casserole dish and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

While the cornbread is baking, stir together:
2 cans chili
1 can black beans (drained)

Pour above mixture over cornbread and bake for another 15 minutes

Finally, sprinkle the following on top and heat for 5 minutes:
1 Fritos corn chips
2 cups grated cheese
1 4oz can sliced olives

Let sit for 5 minutes and serve w/ guacamole!

Peanutty Sesame Noodles
Janine Weston

8oz spaghetti noodles (for gluten-free, use the brown rice spagetti noodles)
Easy Peanutty Sauce (recipe below)
1 C shredded carrot
2 1/2 C peeled and sliced cucumber
2 green onions chopped
1/4 C roasted peanuts, crushed

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. Pour Easy Peanutty Sauce over noodles and toss until noodles are evenly coated. Add carrots and cucumber. Toss gently. Top with green onions and crushed peanuts.

Easy Peanutty Sauce

1/4 C Trader Ming's Soyaki or Veri Veri Teriyaki
1/4 C Creamy Salted Peanut Butter
2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1/4 C water

Whisk Soyaki, peanut butter, and sesame oil until blended. Add water and mix well.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Tortellini and Chicken Sausage Soup
Janine Weston

1 C dry Tortellini with Pesto or Mixed Cheese Filling
2 pre-cooked Mushroom Asiago Gourmet Chicken Sausages, cut into 1/2-inch slices (or other variety)
1 14.5oz can Organic Fire Roasted Whole Tomatoes, including juices, or regular canned tomatoes
1 28oz can Rich Onion Soup (or vegetable stock)
2 C water
3 C frozen Greens with Envy, or other greens such as frozen spinach or green beans
Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Mix tomatoes (including juices), onion soup, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
Add tortellini, sausage, and greens. When mixture comes to a boil again, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 17 minutes.
Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

TJ’s Pizza
Anne Epperson

Pizza dough in the refrigerator section (near the cheese)
Goat cheese (Silver Goat is my favorite)
Pesto
Piquillo Peppers (chopped)
Artichoke hearts (I use the ones in water) (sliced)
Black Olives (I prefer Kalmata) (pit’s removed and chopped)
Sundried tomatoes (packed on oil) (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 450

Let the dough come to room temperature. The dough is very soft and wet, I generally do not add flour to the dough. Oil a pizza pan, spread the dough to desired thickness or to the edges. Spread the pesto on top, as much or little as you desire, place the sliced artichokes around the pizza dough, and sprinkle on the remaining chopped items. Add the goat cheese, I flake the cheese with a fork and then break it apart as I place it on the pizza.

Note: before I start the prep work, I turn on the oven to get it hot. Use as much or as little to your desired taste. I do all the prep work before stretching the dough. I use 3 piquillo peppers chopped, ½ a can of the artichoke hearts sliced, 8 to 10 kalmata olives chopped, and a tablespoon sundried tomatoes chopped. For the goat cheese, I use between 3 and 4 oz of the Silver Goat log. Now stretch the dough out and add the ingredients.

Bake for 12 minutes or until done.

Edamame Hummus
Carolann Wedlund

1/2 pound Trader Joe's frozen shelled edamame, about 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons), juiced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Suggested serving: Sliced cucumbers, celery, and olives

Boil the beans in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, or microwave, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a food processor, puree the edamame, tahini, water, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix until absorbed.
Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the parsley and drizzle with remaining oil. Serve with the suggested vegetables, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

2010-03-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

On April 14th

Trader Joe's Meals

(anything good you made from there)

or just quick and healthy meals.

International Night (March 2010)

2010-03-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

Entrée Crepe
Judy Beck (Demo)

2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
¾ cup + 1 Tbsp. cup flour
½ t salt
1 T melted butter

Combine all ingredients in blender for about 30 seconds. Scrape sides and cream for an additional 5 seconds. If electric mixer is used, blend all ingredients to smooth, creamy consistency.
Cover and refrigerate. When ready to use, stir and blend, adding milk to thin or flour to thicken to proper consistency. 16 – 18 6 inch crepes.

Dessert Crepe

Entrée crepe adding 1 T melted butter
1-2 t sugar
1 t vanilla

Blend with entrée crepe ingredients and follow recipe instructions.

Crepe Suzette

¼ cup butter or margarine
½ tsp. grated orange peel
½ - ¾ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. sugar
14 crepes

In a skillet, heat butter, orange peel, orange juice and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil and stir 1 minute. Reduce heat. Fold crepes into fourths and place in hot orange sauce, turning crepes once.

Lemon Dream Crepes

½ cup butter
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
½ cup lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
3 whole eggs, beaten
1 cup heavy cream
18-20 crepes

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter: add lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and sugar. Stir in beaten egg yolks and whole eggs. Cook over very low heat, beating constantly with a whisk, until mixture is shiny and thick. Cool. Whip cream. Fold one-half of the whipped cream into lemon mixture and fill cooked crepes. Fold over. Top with remaining whipped cream.

Chicken and Mushroom Crepes

½ lb. of mushrooms
3 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. onions
2 cups of milk
3 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic
½ cup Swiss cheese (opt.)
15 crepes

In large saucepan, sauté mushrooms and chicken. When chicken is cooked add finely chopped onions and garlic and sauté for one minute at medium heat. In sauce pan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter, add flour, stir until blended. Slowly add milk, cook until thick. Add Swiss cheese and sour cream, stir and remove from heat. Pour 2/3 of this mixture into chicken of this mixture into crepes. Place crepes in casserole dish. Cover with the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cook 15 to 25 minutes at 350.

Chile Relleno Casserole
Megan Bodily

9 x 13 baking dish: to serve 9-10

2 Cups of ½ & ½ (milk will work fine)
4 eggs
2/3 cup flour
6 – 4oz cans of whole chilies (one large can 27oz works)
1 lb grated each cheddar and jack
16 oz can tomato sauce

Spray Pam in baking dish
Beat milk with eggs and flour
Combine cheeses, reserve ¾ cup for top
Clean and seed chilies, butterfly lengthwise o pen

Layer chilies, cheese, then egg mixture- two layers
Top with tomato sauce, then sprinkle with reserve cheese
Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Italian Penne Pasta
Jonna Carlile

8 ounces penne pasta (whole wheat or regular)
16 ounces mild italian sausage
1 each onion
6 cloves garlic
4 cans Italian-style tomatoes -- (diced)
1 cup red cooking wine -- (found in vinegar section of
grocery store - optional)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup parmesan cheese -- (divided)

Brown italian sausage, onion and garlic together. (I buy the ground mild
italian sausage in the wrapped tube. If you use links, peel off the casing
before browning).

Add italian tomatoes. I usually pulse mine in the food processor first, as
it gives more body to the sause, and my family tends to pick out the
tomatoes if they're in large chunks. Next add the cooking wine (if using).
Simmer 30 minutes.

Add cream, heat through. Then add 2/3 c. grated parmesan

Cook pasta, rinse, and add to the sauce. Serve with 1/3 c. grated parmesan
sprinkled on top.

Note: the first night the sauce is rather thin and runny - which we love to
dip fresh french bread in as part of the meal. The second night the liquid
will have all absorbed into the pasta - still tasty, just a different
consistenc

Fish Tacos
Elizabeth Champion

Any type of fish
cabbage
tomatoes, chopped
limes
garlic sauce
corn tortillas
salsa

Cut any type of fish into small chunks. (We've even minced up calamari steaks). Saute fish in oil, butter, and LOTS of minced garlic for just a few minutes. DO NOT OVER COOK. That's what makes fish rubbery and fishy smelling. Slice cabbage as thin as possible so it's shredded. Heat corn tortillas so they're soft. The easiest way is to wrap about 8-12 in a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Layer tortilla with fish, cabbage, and tomatoes. Drizzle on garlic sauce and squeeze on lime juice. You can also add salsa as a topping.

Garlic Sauce (a.k.a. Champion's Caesar Salad Dressing)

2 eggs
2 cloves garlic (Rick puts in 4+)
1/3 cup vinegar
10 shakes of salt
6 shakes of pepper
1 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients except oil in blender and turn on high for 1 minute. Turn down to medium and SLOWLY drizzle in olive oil. Be patient. If you pour the oil in too fast, the dressing won't thicken. Will keep in fridge for weeks but garlic strength will weaken.

Traditionally the white sauce on fish tacos is a yogurt sauce but we prefer our Caesar salad dressing.
Spanish Rice
Mariah Garcia

2 c long grain rice
2-4 T Oil
¼ th to ½ chopped onion
1 small can of tomato sauce
3 Cups water (I just fill up the small empty tomato sauce can up three times. One less dish )
1/8 to ¼ of a green bel pepper
Garlic salt to taste

1. On med high heat add rice and oil and brown.
2. Add your chopped onion. Stir. This is where you may need to add oil. If you don’t have enough in there it will start to burn so make sure you have enough oil to cook the onions. I usually leave the onions in for about 30 sec to a minute.
3. Add your tomato sauce and water, stir.
4.Add garlic salt. I just sprinkle it on then give the water a taste to see if I have enough salt or not. If I had to guess on the measurement I would say ½ tsp to 1 tsp. You just have to taste it. If it tastes like watery tomato sauce, it needs more salt.
5. Add bel peppers and bring to a rapid boil. Stir one last time then cover and simmer on low for 20min.

SWEET CORN TOMALITO
Heidi Little

- 4 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup masa harina (maseca)
- 1/2 cup corn meal
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Cream softened butter together with sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add milk and masa and mix well.
3. Use a blender or food processor to puree 2 cups of corn until smooth. Add pureed corn to butter/masa mixture and mix well. Add corn meal, baking powder, salt and remaning corn and mix until combined.
4. Pour mixture into an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan. Cover with foil and place it into a 9x13x2 baking pan. Add hot water to the larger baking pan until it is about 1/3 full. Bake for 1.5-2 hours or until corn cake is firm in the center. Let it sit covered for 10 minutes before serving. To server, scoop out 1/2 cup portions with a large spoon.

Ginger and Green Onion Chicken
Melanie Mak

2 cooked chicken breasts shredded
1 Tablespoon Ginger finely chopped
10 stalks green onion finely chopped
salt to the taste
4 tablespoons Oil

Heat oil in a wok. Add chopped ginger into the hot oil and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in chopped green onion and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Add the shredded chicken breasts and salt into the mixture of chopped ginger and chopped green onion. Mix well and cook about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

FLOUR TORTILLAS
Mary Vega (Demo)

6 Cups of Flour
1/2 Tablespoon of Salt
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Powder
3 Tablespoons of Shortening
2 Cups of Hot Tap Water

Yeild: 3 dozen

Add Flour, Salt, Baking Powder in a large bowl. Stir the dry ingredients, then add the Shortening and mix into the dry ingredients and sitr it around so that the shortening breaks up. Then add the hot tap water to the dry ingredients mix with your hands until the dough feels right to roll out. You can add as much flour as needed if the dough is too wet or water if it is too dry. Adding more flour or water does not change the recipe. Give the dough a good beating. Make the dough balls as large or small as you want, dip each dough ball into flour before rolling out. Make sure you have a hot griddle but adjust the temperature as needed so as not to burn the tortilla and not to low because then the tortilla will not cook or taste as good as they should. The first tortilla usually doesn't look right or taste as good as the ones to follow. The more often you make tortillas the better the taste. Also you can tweek the recipe to suit your taste buds. Store leftover torillas in a plastic bag with one end open because of the moisture in the bag and put in the refrigerator. The leftovers keep their flavor for a week or longer. Buena Suerte (good luck).

Irish Soda Bread
Carol-Ann Wedlund

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup dried currants or raisins

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants/raisins with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Optional: Serve with Cinnamon Butter: 1 1/2 sticks of butter with 1/2 tsp of freshly grated or ground cinnamon.

2010-02-23T17:25:00.000-08:00

Come next Month for our

International Night!

We will have Demo's

from around the world...

Come and taste delicious dishes from

India, Italy, and Mexico!

March 10th

Decadent Desserts IV (Feb. 2010)

2010-02-22T20:06:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Cake with Ganache & Butter-Cream Frosting
Kristen (Beck) Murray (Demo)
She has a wonderful Blog where you can go and find many of her creations to satisfy your sweet tooth or cravings. She makes the most amazing desserts and other food items! Her Blog is:
http://www.kristinannbeck.blogspot.com/

Guittard Molten Chocolate Cookies

(from the bag of Guittard Semi-Sweet chocolate chips)
Ann Epperson

Makes about 40 1” cookies or 16 3” cookies

2 cups (12 oz bag) Guittard Semi-Sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp butter
2 large eggs
½ c sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 c all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 c powdered sugar (for dusting - optional)

Melt chips and butter in top of double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth and thick. Remove from heat; set aside. (I use the microwave, in a glass bowl, microwave on high for 30 sec, stir, microwave on high 30 sec, stir, microwave high for 15 sec. stir, the mixture will become smooth and thick. Set aside.)

In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla on high speed about 2-3 minutes until pale yellow and slightly thickened. Mix in chocolate on low speed. Stop and scrape bowl. Add flour and baking powder on low speed just until well incorporated, stopping once to scrape bowl. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15-30 minutes. (I leave the dough in for 30 minutes to chill, the dough will firm up making it easier to work with)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Scrap 8 – 2 inch mounds onto parchment lined baking sheet leaving 2 inches between cookies. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 minutes or until crusty on the outside but soft in the center. Cool the cookies 3-5 minutes. Best when served warm. To reheat cookies so the centers become soft again, microwave on high power for about 10 seconds.

(I use a 1” ratcheted ice cream scooper, drop the dough into a bowl of powdered sugar and roll around until well coated, remove from bowl shaking off excess sugar, and place on a lined baking sheet. Space 1 inch apart, bake for 12 minutes, let cool and enjoy)

Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies
Mariah Garcia

Yield: 24 cookies
* 12 ounce(s) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
* 11 1/2 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
* 6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup(s) sugar
* 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
* 1 cup(s) chopped walnuts

Directions

In double boiler over hot water, melt bittersweet chocolate chips and butter. In large bowl with electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs and sugar until thick; stir into chocolate mixture. In small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder; stir into chocolate mixture. Gently mix in semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts. Using a sheet of plastic wrap, form dough into two logs, each 2 inches in diameter and about 12 inches long. As dough will be quite soft, use plastic wrap to hold dough in log shape. Wrap tightly; refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. Heat oven to 375°F. Unwrap dough; with sharp knife, cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 1/2 inches apart on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until shiny crust forms on top but interior is still soft. Cool on baking sheet; store in airtight tin up to 1 week.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Gayle Hollingshaus

1 pkg. (14 oz.) angel flake coconut
2/3 cup sugar
6 tbsp. flour
¼ tsp. salt
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pkg (8 squares) semi sweet chocolate
(I used melted chocolate chips for dipping)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Add egg whites and extract; mix well.
Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased and floured baking sheets.
Bake 20 min. or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 min. on baking sheets;

Remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
Melt chocolate. Dip cookies halfway into chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

Scotch Shortbread Cookies
Gretchen Jackson

55-60 cookies

½ pound (1 cup) butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sifted cornstarch

Adjust rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl of electric mixer cream butter until soft. Add sugar and beat for a few minutes. On lowest speed gradually add flour and cornstarch, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until incorporated.

Turn mixture onto a board or smooth surface and knead lightly until smooth. Use about half of the dough at a time. Wrap the balance airtight. On a very lightly floured pastry cloth with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 1 ½ inch round cutter. Save scraps, knead them together briefly, and reroll them all together. Place cookies ½ inch apart on an unbuttered cookie sheet.

Pierce each cookie three times with a fork, going all the way through to the cookie sheet. It this is a sticky job, first chill the cookies briefly in the freezer or refrigerator. Bake about 22 minutes, reversing position of cookie sheet during baking, until cookies have barely colored. Do not overbake. Shortbread should not brown—it should only turn a pale sandy color around the edges.

Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool.
Lemon Bundt Cake
Heidi Little

Follow the directions on any lemon cake mix. Grease the bundt pan generously & bake.
Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix well and allow to cool...it thickens as it cools and then frost cake.

Almond-Poppy Seed Biscotti
Wendy & Czarina Pellissier
(this recipe was taken from a diabetic dessert cookbook)

(makes 24)
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/4 cup margarine or butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup toasted chopped almonds
1 T poppy seeds
1/4 cup, plus 2 T fat-free egg substitute
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract

Place the flours, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl, and stir to mix well. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Stir in the almonds and poppy seeds. Add the egg substitute and extracts, and stir just until the mixture holds together.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide it in half, and shape each half into a 9 x 2-inch log. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, and place the logs on the sheet, leaving 4 inches of space between them to allow for spreading. Bake at 350 for about 25 min or until lightly browned.

Cool the logs at room temp for 10 min. Place the logs on a cutting board, and use a serrated knife to slice the logs into 1/2-inch slices.

Reduce the oven temp to 300. Return the slices to the baking sheet, in a single layer, cut side down. Bake for 10 min. Then turn the slices over, and bake for 10 more min.
Transfer the biscotti to wire racks, and cool completely. Dip in melted chocolate if desired.

Strawberry Short-Cake
Jessica Skubal

1 pkg of Pound Cake Mix
2 cartons of Heavy Whipping Cream
2-3 cups confectioners sugar
50-60 strawberries

Make Pound Cake as instructed by package in a 9 x 9 pan. Let cool. Then cut into small squares.

Whip the heavy cream in mixer and when fluffy add 2-3 cups of confectioners sugar. Do not beat to much, may turn to butter consistency(you don’t want that).

Wash and cut strawberries in half and place aside.

Use a trifle bowl to layer your filling. Put cake squares on bottom then put a layer of whipped cream, then strawberries. Then another layer of whipped cream and then the cake squares. And keep layering. You don’t want the cake and strawberries to touch, because the cake will get wet with the strawberries. End layers with strawberries on top.

2010-01-18T15:46:00.001-08:00

Valentine's Day is coming next month...so....

what would be the perfect Theme... of course

...tons of chocolate...

Decadent Desserts IV

Feb. 10th

Healthy Foods That Taste GOOD!!! (Jan. 2010)

2010-01-18T15:08:00.000-08:00

Green Smoothie
Amber Bodily

Anything green goes, rule#1 :)

Fill blender 1/3 with water or rice milk
Add a handful of spinach, handful of Kale, some collards (anything green)
1 lemon with the rind (cut off ends)
2 apples
a squeeze of Agave Nectar
An orange
Half of a small beet (you can add a whole beet if you like the flavor)

BLEND until smooth. A VitaMix and BlendTec you can get it blended and smooth in 10-12 seconds. With a regular blender it might take 60 seconds or longer.

Add frozen fruit or berries of any kind until the blender is full.
(I didn't have on hand- but makes it creamy- is a banana.)

You can start off using 60% in the smoothie and work your way up to 90% greens.

You could start off with just spinach and a little kale to get used to it. Slowly start adding all kinds of greens. Beet tops, carrot tops, wheat grass, chard, etc. You can also add any fruit you have!

Enjoy! Cheers to good health and all the wonderful things God put in the garden:)

Papaya pudding
Elizabeth Champion

1 small papaya
2 bananas

Peel papaya and bananas and chunk.
Place chunks in blender and whirrr.

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken with Olives
Anne Epperson

Serves 4
1 large onion diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 to ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
4 chicken breast cut into bit size pieces
(use chicken legs and thighs if desired)
3 lemons cut into quarters
1 c reduced sodium chicken stock
¼ to ½ c green olives, drained, pitted and cut in half
¼ to ½ c black olives, drained, pitted and cut in half
1 Tbsp capers, drained
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
Salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven sauté the minced onions in olive oil over med heat till translucent. Add in the ground cumin, ginger, garlic and red pepper (optional), stir and sauté for 30 sec to 1 minute to develop flavor. Add chicken, do not crowd the pan, and brown for 3-4 minutes per side (if using thighs and legs adjust time to allow for browning). Add lemons, no need to squeeze the heat will extract the lemon juice, and chicken stock.

Cover pan, lower heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes (chunked chicken breast, or 30 – 40 minutes for thighs and legs). Remove lid, add olives, capers and artichoke hearts, simmer until everything is heated thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning, salt might not be needed.

If you have excessive liquid, remove the chicken, stir in orzo (any small pasta or rice), cook according to box, add chicken back in, heat and serve.

If the broth is too acidic, add another cup of chicken broth – sauce can be tightened with a corn starch slurry.

Strained Yogurt

1 16 oz container plain low fat or nonfat yogurt
1 strainer to accommodate yogurt volume
1 large bowl to hold strainer and allow yogurt to drain
2 sheets paper towel

Use any commercial yogurt, line a fine strainer with paper towel (or cheese cloth), place strainer over bowl that provides a 1 inch gap between bottom of strainer and bottom of bowl, empty contents into paper lined strainer and cover with another towel, place a heavy object on top of towel. Yogurt will release upwards of 1 cup of liquid per 16 oz.of regular yogurt, less for Greek style yogurts.

Set over night for cream cheese consistency. For looser spread, shorten time.
Use in dips, spreads. Experiment in your favorite recipes.

Note: Fage yogurt (found at Trader Joes and Costco) works well, yet there will be much less liquid extracted.

Breakfast Pizza

Use any dough you like, I have used pizza dough and sticky bun dough, you can also use bread dough. Roll out in a 8 – 9 inch circle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 350 degree F for 15 minutes or till to desired doneness.
Let cool
1 cup strained yogurt
1 Tbsp honey, agave nectar, or other sweetener

Mix well and spread over cooled dough
Cover with mixed berries, in season or defrosted
Frozen berries flavor can be enhanced by adding a tsp of vanilla extract to berries and warming over a med heat. Variation: orange peel, lemon peel, or other flavor enhancers. Go slow and taste often.
Cut and serve.

Orange-Spiced Fruit Bread
Carol Hansen

Bread:
1/2 C golden raisins
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C dried figs
(I used 1-1/2 C dried Golden Berry Blend from TJ)
2 C unbleached bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
1-1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 TBsp aniseed
1-1/2 tsp ground allspice
1-1/4 tsp instant quick-rising or bread machine yeast
1-1/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 C ICE water plus more if needed
6 TBsp clover honey
1/4 C mild molasses
2 TBsp corn, canola, or other flavorless veg oil
2 tsp finely grated orange peel

Soaking Syrup
3 TBsp orange juice
2 TBsp clover honey

Optional Glaze
1/3 C confectioners' sugar, sifted
2-3 tsp orange juice

1 Mix dough. Soak dried fruits in hot water for 10 mins, drain well, and cool. Thoroughly whisk 1-11/4 C ice water, honey, molasses, oil and orange zest in a med bowl. Vigorously stir the honey mixture and drained fruit into the dry ingredients until well blended. The dough should be moist, somewhat sticky, but stiff. If too dry, stir in a bit of ice water to facilitate mixing, but don't over-moisten. If dough is too wet stir in a little flour. Lightly coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

2. First rise: Let dough rise at room temp (70 degrees) for 12-18 hours.

3. Second rise: Coat a 10-C bundt pan (or similar tube pan) with oil. Vigorously stir the dough to deflate it. If it is soft, stir in just enough flour to yield a firm but moist dough (it should be fairly hard to stir). Transfer dough to the pan. Lightly coat the top with oil. Press the dough evenly into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise about 1-1/4 to 2-1/2 hrs. at 70 degrees.

4. Let rise at room temp (70 degrees) until dough is 1" below top of pan. Preheat oven to 350.

5. Bake on rack in lower third of oven. for 60-70 mins. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 mins.

6. Syrup: Combine juice and honey in a small bowl. Brush half over the top of the loaf. turn out the bread onto the rack and brush the other half syrup on the bread.

Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar with orange juice in small bowl. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let set.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Nancy Holladay

Combine in a large pot (I use a 6 qt. pot), peeled and chopped as you want – smaller pieces cook faster:

6 potatoes
6 carrots
4 celery stalks
1 large onion
(broccoli stems if you have them – if I buy broccoli florettes or crowns there usually are none)
3 chicken bouillon cubes, or another flavor if you prefer
Enough water to almost cover vegetables

Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, until vegetables are mushy. Blend smooth. Add water or broth as needed to adjust thickness. Add:
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
Stir until dissolved. Add:
3-4 cups broccoli florettes – cut to bite size
I prefer to steam my broccoli first to a tender crisp and then add just before serving. You could add the raw broccoli if you plan to let it cook for a while before serving.
We like it with French bread, garlic bread or toast.

Yogurt Dip
Heidi Little

1.5 cups drained yogurt
1 peeled & chopped cucumber(whole)
.25 cup (or more) chopped chives
1tbs lemon juice
dash of pepper

stir and refrigerate to blend flavors
enjoy with baked crackers, chips or vegis

Grilled Chicken Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Wendy Pellissier

Mix the following in a blender until smooth: (dressing)
1/2 cup white (Great Northern) beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 T. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 1/4 t. of the minced garlic that comes in a jar in the produce section)
8 large basil leaves
1/8 t. salt

Toss the following in a large salad bowl:
5 oz. mixed baby greens
1 and 1/2 cups grilled chicken tenders (I seasoned mine with "Mrs. Dash garlic & herb" before I grilled them.)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to coat.

2009-12-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

We are skipping December,

so we can all have a holiday break.

Happy cooking and

Merry Christmas to all!!!

Coming up in January-

Healthy Foods that Taste GOOD!!!

Hot & Cold Drinks and Holiday Treats (Nov. 2009)

2009-11-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Punch

Kori Archibald

1 C. (6 oz.) frozen limeade made as directed on can

3 C. Sugar

8 C. water

Mix all ingredients together and freeze. Serve with Sprite and float lime slices and marashino cherries on top.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

Karen Burnside

1 C. butter, softened

1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar

3/4 C. sugar

1 (15 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

4 C. flour

2 C. quick-cooking oats

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. butterscotch chips (or more per taste)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in the pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in butterscotch chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 min. or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Pear Punch

Elizabeth Champion

3 cans Kerns pear nectar (I found at Safeway)

2 liters lemon lime soda

1 pear

fresh mint leaves

Mix together chilled nectar and soda.

Garnish with pear slices and fresh mint leaves.

Russian Refresher

Nancy Holladay

This recipe is from the Make A Mix Cookbook, but with a couple of changes as noted:

2 cups powdered orange drink mix (I use Tang)
1 (3 oz.) pkg. presweetened powdered lemonade mix (or enough powdered lemonade mix to make 2 quarts)

1 1/3 cups sugar (I have made this without any extra sugar and it's fine, I did use 1 Cup for the Test kitchen)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well. Put in 1 quart airtight container, label, and store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months (it can get hard if moisture gets in).

Use about 3 tsp. of mix (adjust to your taste, use less if you left out the sugar) to 1 cup hot water and stir to dissolve.

Caramel-Glazed Apple Cake

Robin Kalcic

1 C. packed light brown sugar

1 C. sugar

1 1/2 C. oil

3 eggs

3 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 salt

5 Washington Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/4 C. chopped pecans or walnuts

2 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Caramel Glaze:

4 Tb. butter

1/4 C. sugar

1/4 C. light brown sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 C. heavy cream

Preheat oven 325 degrees. Use 9 x 13 inch pan.

Beat both sugars and oil in mixing bowl until very well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift togethr flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; gradually add to eggs, mixing just until blended. Stir in apples, pecans, and vanilla; pour into pan.

Bake for 50-75 min. Then cool.

To prepare glaze, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in both sugars and salt; cook over medium-low heat for 2 min. Add cream and boil for 2 min., stirring constantly.

Poke holes in the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Pour on the glaze. Serve warm or at room temp. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Carmel Cereal Mix(demo)

Heidi Little

In a bowl combine:

6 C. popped pop corn

4 C. each of Kixs, Cheerios, & Chex Cereal(rice or corn)

Boil for 3 min:

1 Lb. butter

2 C. Light corn Syrup

4 C. brown sugar

Remove from heat, add 1 tsp vanilla then pour boiled mixture over cereal and toss to coat cereal. Then spread mixture onto 2 greased jelly roll pans and bake @250 degrees for 1 hour. Spread baked mixture onto slightly pammed foil sheets to cool on counter top. Mix will be runny and hot! Cool mixture and store in air tight containers.

Cheese Ball

Heidi Little

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup butter

Worcestershire sauce(to taste)

1 Tbs grated onion

1/2 tsp garlic (chopped)

Mix together and roll in nuts, parsley, or chopped ham. Chill and serve.

Toffee

Heidi Little

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Line a jelly roll baking sheet with foil and butter generously, then place single layer of graham crackers to cover buttered foil. Cook on stove top 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup butter, boiling for 2 min. Pour cooked mixture over graham crackers and bake for 6 min. then remove from oven and sprinkle with 12 oz. package chocolate chips. Return to oven until chips have softened and then spread evenly. Refrigerate to hasten hardening/peal off foil when chocolate is set, store in freezer or refrigerate.

Peppermint Cookies

Wendy & Czarina Pellissier

1 and 1/2 sticks butter

1 c. sugar

1/4 c. splenda

1/4 t. peppermint flavoring

2 egg whites
2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda

12 small candy canes, crushed (1/2 cup) I crush mine using the "Ultimate Chopper" which is a

small food processor type unit.

Chill dough until firm. Place walnut-sized rounds of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. You may want to roll them in your hands to make them round. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 min. Cool on cookie sheet before you remove them. When they are completely cool, they can be put in ziplocks and put in freezer.

Mock Champagne

Jessica Skubal

white grape juice

ginger ale or Sprite

apple juice or spiced cidar

Mix equal amounts of juice in punch bowl.

2009-10-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

Next Test Kitchen

November 11th @ 7 pm

Hot or Cold Drinks &

Holiday Treats

Comfort Foods (October 2009)

2009-10-21T14:24:00.001-07:00

Doug Beck’s Rolls

Fresh ground whole wheat
Bread flour

(Doug never measures his flour because he judges by the consistency of the dough, but to start, add 1 C of the fresh ground wheat which makes about 2 C of whole wheat flour and then 3 C of bread flour—not bleached flour)

1 C sugar (4 handfuls)
1 TB salt
½ C warm water with 2 TB yeast
½--1 cube butter
1 C milk
2 ¼ C hot water
3 large eggs

Place 2 TB yeast in the ½ C warm water with 1 TB sugar in a small bowl and let sit until frothy. (This will let you know how active your yeast is, and you can make adjustments.)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, add large eggs, do not mix eggs yet. Bring butter and milk to a boil and place in bowl. Add 2 ¼ C hot water to milk/butter bowl. Then pour into large bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well, then add yeast mixture. Continue to mix and add flour until dough is very moist and soft, but clings together. Pour it onto a very floured surface to knead. Add flour slowly working it in with your buttered hands. They more the dough is worked with your hands, the better it will be. After kneading, roll out the dough until about 3/8” thick and cut into circles. (The top of a drinking cup 3”-31/2” works great.) Doug says that you can tell if it is good dough if it pulls away when it is cut. Fold circles in half and place in buttered pan very close together. Let rise in warm room (Doug places his rolls in Judy’s back car window!) until they have risen to the top of the pan(usually 2 times their size).

Cook between 360-365 degrees for about 20 min. Metal pans will require a shorter amount of time. When they are done, remove them immediately from the pan so they do not sweat and become soggy.

Denece Johnson’s Rolls
Megan Bodily

In mixing bowl:
1 cup warm water
4 tablespoons yeast

In large measuring bowl:
4 cups warm milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 tablespoon salt

4 large eggs
5 lbs flour
1-2 cups mashed potatoes (lukewarm)

In the mixing bowl, add yeast to water. Let yeast activate while preparing the milk mixture. Warm milk in the microwave, then add sugar, oil, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add milk mixture to the mixing bowl. Mix slightly. Add eggs and half the flour. Add mashed potatoes. Add flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls from the sides of the mixing bowl. Keep mixing until the dough is smooth (it will still be a bit sticky). Place dough in a large greased bowl and let rise double (usually about 2 hours, depending on heat). Punch down and roll into ball to make rolls. Let rise again to double. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, butter tops of rolls, and let cool on wire rack.

Cinnamon rolls:
After punching down the dough, roll it out onto a greased surface, about ½ inch thick. Spread softened butter on to dough, then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon (optional: nuts, raisins, chocolate chips). Fold into thirds, slice, twist, knot and place on greased cookie sheet. Let cinnamon rolls rise to double. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then add icing.

Icing recipe:
1 package powdered sugar
1 cube softened butter (never melted)
1 tsp vanilla
Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time to preferred consistency

Pumpkin-Clove Pound Cake
Anne Epperson

This recipe is broken into three segments; dry, liquid and creaming

Dry
2 ¾ c. unbleached all purpose flour
¼ cup turbinado sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp vanilla powder
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice

(Notes: turbinado sugar is a very course sugar found in the many grocery stores. Vanilla powder can be found at Railey’s on the spice aisle. Both can be purchased online.)

Liquid
15 oz canned pumpkin
5 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp raw honey
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Creaming
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
2 ½ cups + 2 Tbsp extra-fine granulated sugar
2 eggs
4 yolks

(Cold eggs work best for this recipe, do not bring them to room temp)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl sift the flour, add the turbinado sugar, baking powder, vanilla powder, salt, cloves and allspice. Whisk for 10 seconds, set aside.

In another bowl add the pumpkin, heavy cream, honey and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine, set aside.

Crack eggs into bowl (this prevents shells from getting into the mix. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and extra-fine sugar on medium low for 3 minutes, this helps to aerate this dense cake.

Add one egg at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporate after each addition.
Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add the dry ingredients alternating with the liquid in 3 – 5 additions each, start with the dry ingredients and end with the dry ingredients. Move swiftly through this process, do not wait for all to be incorporated before adding the next. This should take a total of 60 seconds.

Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl, mix on medium for 15 to 20 seconds.

Prepare the pan(s), use baking spray or liners.
Bundt pan bake for 50 – 60 minutes
Cupcakes bake for 25 – 30 minutes
9 in round bake for 30 – 55 minutes

Spoon the batter into the selected pan and smooth out, do not fill more the ¾ full. Use remaining batter for cupcakes.

The cake is done when the top does not giggle and when a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean or with very little crumbs. Place pan on a wire rack and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let rest until cooled.

White Chunk Fudge
Becky Foulk

6 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/3 cups evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
14 oz. mini marshmallows1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt

Combine sugar, butter, salt and milk in heavy 5 quart saucepan; bring to full boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in marshmallows until melted. Add all chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat until blended. Pour into greased 10 x 16-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

Makes 6 pounds.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mariah Garcia

Mix in small bowl:
2 ¼ C flour
1t baking soda
1t salt

Mix in large bowl:
1 Stick of butter
2 Eggs
1t vanilla extract
¾ C Brown sugar
¾ C Sugar
12 oz Semi sweet choc chips

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time. I find it easier to do this by hand. Drop dough onto cookie sheet and bake at °375 for 8-10 minutes.

Pasta Fagiole (Ron Pimentel) Prep time 30 minutes
Nancy Holladay

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
6 cubes beef bouillon in 5 cups of water
2 14.5oz cans Italian style stewed tomatoes, with juice
1 15.5oz can kidney beans, with juice
8 oz salad macaroni
6 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbls basil leaves, chopped
2 teas oregano leaves, chopped
1 teas chili powder
Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef along with chopped onion in large Dutch oven. Drain. Add bouillon cubes, water, garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder, carrots, and celery and bring to boil. Let simmer until vegetables are nearly tender enough. Add tomatoes and kidney beans (with juice from both), and pasta. Cook until pasta is ready. Serve in bowls with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Serves 8

1. My family doesn’t like the chunks of tomato, so I always run my stewed tomatoes through the blender before adding to the soup.
2.The soup thickens as it stands or is stored (the water is absorbed by the pasta mostly). So if you are preparing it ahead of time – you may want to wait to add the pasta when you are preparing to serve it. Or – If it gets too thick (more like a thick stew), I add more (from the blender) stewed Italian tomatoes.

Clam Chowder
Gayle Hollingshaus

2 6 ½ oz. cans minced clams or ¾ lb. fresh clams
1 qt. milk

Cut and cook:
1 C celery chopped- 1 ½ tsp salt
1 C onion chopped – ½ tsp sugar
6 C potatoes diced- pinch of pepper
Drain clams and pour juice from clams over the chopped vegetables. Add enough water just to cover. Cook until tender.

Melt ¾ C margarine and add ¾ C flour. Cook 1 min. Add milk to sauce and cook until creamy. Add to cooked vegetables and add clams and seasonings.
(3 times recipe with Costco can of clams)

Guacamole Dip
Heidi Little

Avocadoes x 3
Pico de gallo Salsa to taste
Garlic salt
Lemon juice
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Mac-N-Cheese

Stephanie Luster

Need:

2 packages of shell pasta

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup milk

2 cups of cheese (any varieties work but always use a sharp cheddar for 1 cup)

Boil 2 packages of shell pasta as directed

Drain

Return to hot pot

Stir in 1/2 cup butter

Stir in approx. 1/3 cup milk (to desired creaminess)

Stir in 2 total cups of cheese:

Mix any 2-3 cheeses

I usually use 1 cup sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup Monterrey jack, and 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Stir until butter and cheese are melted. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle salt and pepper if desired. Broil until cheese on top is brown and slightly crispy. Serve.

Lentil Soup
Stephanie Luster

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1cup chopped carrot
1 cup of a big leafy green (chard, kale, etc), rinsed well, deveined, finely chopped
3/4 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
1 jar salsa
7 cups of water
6 tsp of Knorr chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin

Directions:
Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, kale and 1 cup water to sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, salsa, remaining water, bouillon, chili powder, and cumin and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes: You can add more water/bouillon if you want it soupier. Also, you can puree it if you prefer.

I serve the soup with white corn tortilla chips when it’s hot. I save the leftovers and put it in the fridge to thicken up. I then serve the cold, thick leftovers with a dallop of sour cream as a dip with tortilla chips

Chinese Buns
Melanie Mak

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup warm water
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons oil
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS
Mix together 2 teaspoons yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/3 cup warm water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Mix in 1 cup warm milk, flour, 3 tablespoons oil, 4 cups flour, and 1/3 cup sugar. Knead until dough surface is smooth and elastic. Roll over in a greased bowl, and let stand until double in size, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Punch down dough, and spread out on a floured board. Roll dough into long line like a snake about 1 ½ inches thick.
Use a knife to cut every ½ to ¾ inches. Place each piece that you cut on a wax paper square and put them into the cookies sheet. Let stand covered until double, about 30 minutes.

Bring water to a boil in a steamer. Transfer as many buns on wax paper as will comfortably fit into steamer leaving 1 inch between the buns. Cover steamer with lid. Steam buns over boiling water for 10 minutes.
REMOVE LID BEFORE you turn off heat, or else water will drip back onto bun surface and produce yellowish "blisters" on bun surfaces. Continue steaming batches of buns until all are cooked.
Put them on the cookies rack to cool.
Take out the wax paper at the button of the buns when they are cool and deep-fried them.
Serve with sweet condensed milk.

Note: For those who don’t like deep-fried food, you can eat the buns with sweet condensed milk without deep fried them.

German Chocolate Spice Cake
Wendy and Czarina Pellissier

1 box German Chocolate cake mix
follow ingredients on back of box

add 1 t. cinnamon
and 1/2 t. nutmeg

Bake in Bundt pan at 350 for approx. 40 min.
Cool 10 min. and then invert on platter

Bean Dip
Jessica Skubal

1 small can of refried beans
1 small can of Chili
¼ of a yellow onion
½ block of Cream cheese
1 cup or so of Cheese
Green Taco Sauce-La Victoria
Pace Picante Sauce
Sour cream
Tomatoes
Garlic salt

Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl and stir very well. Then heat up in microwave until cheese is melted and hot. Then put in last 3 ingredients. Serve with Chips or flour tortillas.

Crab Pasta Salad
Cathy Taylor

Salad:
8 oz. uncooked macaroni, or similar pasta
16 oz. crumbled "crab" meat (I use imitation crab meat.)
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 of a green pepper, chopped
1/4 C. of parsley (or about 2 Tbsp. of the dry stuff)

Dressing:
3/4 C. Mayonnaise
3/4 C. Plain Yogurt (I like to use full fat yogurt, but you can also use Greek Style.)
1/3 C. Chili Sauce
3 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard.

Cook and drain macaroni/pasta. Combine all salad ingredients. Mix together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Stir to combine.

Disclaimer: I guess-ti-mate all ingredient measures

2009-08-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

-October-(French onion soup)

It's all about Fall

Comfort Foods

(stews)

Just ask yourself, "what kind of food makes me feel good?"(Chili)

Canning & Dehydrating (Aug. 2009)

2009-08-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

1. White Donut Peach 2. Yellow Peach 3. Yellow Plum 4. Green Plum
5. Purple Plum 6. Red Plum 7. Sugar Plum 8. Yellow Nectarine 9. White Nectarine 10. Pluot 11. Apricots 12. Sweet Cherries 13. White Cherries
14. Sour Cherries

Canning Fruit
Elizabeth Champion (received from Trish McCoy)

PEACH TYPES & SUGAR AMOUNTS
1. Rio Oso = soft consistency
a. No Sugar = little tart
b. 1/4 c. sugar = good
c. 1/3 c. sugar = good, little sweet

BEGINNING PREPARATION

1. Total start to finish (with clean jars) 30 lbs = 15 jars = 3 1/2 hours

2. Buy sugar and fruit.
Peaches are ready the end of July or beginning of August. 8/98 paid $.60 / lb picked
Fay Elberta = tart but firm for canning
Rio Oso = sweet and firm but hard to find and late season
On peach box from Trish: Weststeyn’s, 22563 So. Highland Ave, Ripon, CA 95366 599-3193, Freestone Peaches

3. Wash jars and rings in dishwasher. Wash canner.

4. Run finger on top of jars to check for chips. Throw away jar if chip found.

5. Buy new seals for jars, new jars and rings if needed.
Do not use old mayonnaise, pickle, etc. jars.
Ball brand and wide mouth are best.
“OK” to use last year’s unused seals. Inspect to make sure no rust.

PEACH PREPARATION

1. Fill medium pan with water and bring to boil.
2. Put 4 peaches in boiling water about 20-30 seconds until peels loosen.
3. Remove from water with tongs, place in bowl of cold water.
4. Peel, quarter and remove pit. Get a large bowl full then place in jars.
5. 40 peaches = 20 lbs = 9 qts. = 1 hour to peel, cut, put in jars and add sugar.

CANNING

1. Fill canner half way with water, start on high and bring to boil. (Maria’s pot takes about 40 min and holds 10-11 qts.)
2. Fill small pan with water and boil lids. Keep at simmer.
Trish has used after water has cooled and still “OK”.
“OK” to use unused boiled lids next year but make sure they are completely dry before storing, to prevent rust.
3. Fill medium pot full of water and bring to boil.
4. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar to each jar filled with peaches.
5. Place filled jars on bath towel to prevent breaking when hot water added.
6. Fill jar to bottom rim with hot water.
7. Put spatula down each side of jar to remove bubbles.
8. Add more water if needed so will come to bottom rim.
9. Wipe rim with clean washcloth. Use new cloth if can again the next day.
10. Use tongs and place lid on jar. Screw on ring -- finger tight.
11. Put jars in canner, cover with water one inch over tops of jars, bring to boil and boil for 10-12 minutes.
12. Remove jars to new bath towel by lifting jars at bottom rim. Do not lift at ring or could disturb seal.
13. Let cool over night but not in draft.
14. In the morning check to see if all jars sealed. Lids will not have any play in them. Do not retighten rings.
15. If not sealed, must reprocess.
16. If sealed, wipe outside well with wet cloth, date and store.

“OK” = not recommended but Trish has done and seems to work fine

Pop Tarts (really they are Filbert Bars with no Filberts)
Jaci Fairbanks

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup softened currant or raspberry jelly
Meringue Topping (below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar and egg yolk. Blend in flour. Press in bottom of ungreased square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches.

Bake 10 minutes. Spread with jelly, then with topping. Bake 20 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Cool slightly. Cut into bars, about 2x1 inch. If topping sticks to knife, dip knife into hot water occasionally.

32 cookies

Meringue Topping

1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Beat egg white until foamy. Add cinnamon. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time: continue beating until stiff and glossy.

Oven Baked Tomatoes
Becky Foulk

Sliced tomatoes from your garden
Fresh, chopped basil
Sea salt
Fresh, chopped garlic (or garlic salt or powder)
Olive oil
Fresh grated parmesan

Place sliced tomatoes on baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle basil, salt, garlic, then parmesan over the tops of tomatoes. Broil for 8-10 minutes.

Pesto for Pasta
Mariah Garcia

1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup firmly packed fresh parsley, stems removed

½ cup parmesan cheese (I use the stuff in the green bottle)

¼ cup pine nuts

1 clove of garlic

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup of olive oil give or take

Chopped Tomatoes and cubed mozzarella cheese.

12-24 oz of pasta depending on how much pesto you like.

1. In food processor add all ingredients except olive oil and processtill paste forms. With machine running, add olive oil until the pesto is likesoft butter.

2. Mix the pesto with your cooked pasta, add tomatoes and cheese.

3. Enjoy cold or warm.

BOYSENBERRY FREEZER JAM
Cindy Hess

Prep Time: 45 minTotal Time: 24 hr 45 min
Makes: About 7 (1-cup) containers or 112 servings, 1 Tbsp, each

3-1/2 cups prepared fruit (2 quarts fully ripe boysenberries)
1 box MCP Pectin
1 cup light corn syrup
4-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

WASH and rinse containers with tight fitting lids.
CRUSH boysenberries, 1 cup at a time. (I used my food processor.)
MEASURE exactly 3-1/2 cups prepared fruit into large bowl.
MEASURE exactly 4-1/2 cups sugar into separate bowl.
STIR pectin gradually into prepared fruit. Mix thoroughly. Set aside 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to dissolve pectin thoroughly.
STIR corn syrup into fruit mixture. Mix well. This prevents crystallization during freezer storage.
STIR in sugar gradually. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.
FILL all containers immediately, leaving 1/2-inch space at top for expansion during freezing. Immediately cover with lids.
LET STAND at room temperature 24 hours until set. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Great Jerky
Nancy Holladay

1 lb. 4lb. Lean meat, I like to use London Broil. Trim fat (fat won’t dehydrate, but will go rancid) and slice thin – about 1/8 inch. If you don’t have a slicer, ask the butcher to slice it for you.
Mix the following into a marinade:

3/4 teas. 1 Tbls. Salt

3/8 teas. 1 ½ teas. Pepper, fresh ground or fresh cracked pepper gives a stronger pepper taste

1 Tbls. 1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed

1/8 teas. 1/2 teas. Garlic powder (or 1 clove per lb of meat - garlic minced)

2 Tbls. 1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1 Tbls. 1/4 cup Worchestershire Sauce

Dip each strip of meat into the marinade and put into a bowl, marinating a few hours or overnight.
Lay strips on the dehydrator screens or racks, allowing a small space between for air flow.
Put in dehydrator (on high heat if adjustable) and dry for about 4-5 hours. If slices are thicker, they will take longer to dry.
After jerky is dry, store in airtight containers. It may be kept in the freezer or on shelves (if there is much fat in it, you might prefer to store it in the freezer).

Banana Bread
Gayle Hollingshaus

4 eggs beaten

4 c. flour
1 c. margarine

2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking soda
l/2 c. buttermilk

½ tsp. salt
6 mashed bananas

1 tsp. vanilla

Bake at 350 for 17 min.

I added 3 cups of grated zucchini to this recipe. I also substitute ½ cup milk with 1 tsp. vinegar if I don’t have buttermilk.

Lyon House Zucchini Bread
Heidi Little

1 C. oil
2 C. sugar
3 eggs
3 t. vanilla
2 C. shredded raw zucchini
3 C. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
3 t. cinnamon
¼ t. baking powder
½ C. chopped nuts (optional)

Combine oil, sugar, and eggs in mixer. Blend in vanilla and zucchini. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to oil mixture and blend well. Add nuts.

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans (8x4x3), well greased and lightly floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick is clean.

Or use 3 medium loaf pans and reduce baking time about 30-40 min. Let stand in pans for 10 min. and then turn out on racks to cool.

Tip: Put on side so doesn’t flatten when cooling.

Dried Peaches & Nectarines
Wendy & Czarina Pellissier

wash peaches or nectarines and slice into 1/4" slices.

dissolve 2 T of Ascorbic Acid into 1 quart of water and soak fruit slices for 2 min in this solution.

place slices separately on drying tray

dry at 135 degrees for 5 to 8 hrs (depending on thickness of slices)
check fruit dryness after 5 hours. should be pliable but not very moist.

All About Canning
Barbara Pimental (demo)

Information of canning:
Ball canning (http://www.homecanning.com/)
How to Can
Step-by-step Fresh Preserving of High Acid Foods
Kerr Canning (http://www.kerrcanning.com/)

http://www.pickyourown.org/
How to can anything
Easy canning directions

Marinara Sauce
Jan Skubal (demo)

6 lbs. ripe tomatoes
6 cloves garlic pressed or minced
2 large onions
3 or 4 large carrots (more for sweetness)
1/3 c. salad or olive oil
2 T. dried basil
1 T. oregano
2 ½ t. salt
3/4- 1 t. pepper

Mix together, boil on lower heat and simmer stirring occasionally until thick, approx. 1 1/2 hrs.
Tip: Adjust ingredients to your liking, it will turn out fine.

Squeezo Strainer by Best Products (made in USA)

Price: $195
Manuel hand crank, stainless steel, not electric, can also get replacement parts

*Jan has been using her strainer for 40 yrs, so even though it may be pricey we know it will last for a long time.

Deluxe Roma Sauce Maker (Not made in USA)

Price: $109
Electric, and has some plastic parts, but no replacements

You can find both on:
All Seasons Homestead Helpers
http://www.homesteadhelpers.com/

Oat Bread
Teri Topham

2 c oats
4 c hot water
2 T yeast
1/2 c warm water
2 t oil
2/3 c honey
4 t salt
About 9 c flour (2-3 cups whole wheat and the rest white)

Combine the oats and hot water in the mixer bowl. Let it stand while you combine the yeast and 1/2 c warm water. Let the yeast stand until it bubbles.

Add the oil, honey, salt and half the flour to the oatmeal/water mixture. Add yeast mixture when it has bubbled. Add the rest of the flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, depending on the power of your mixer. Add enough of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Grease the bowl and the top of the dough. Cover bowl. Let rise until double, about 1 hour. Punch down dough. Let rest 5 minutes. Divide the dough into three large loaves or 4 small loaves. Place in slightly greased loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Remove loaves from the oven and rub the tops of the loaves with butter immediately.

2009-08-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

Canning and

Dehydrating Recipes

Coming Soon

We are going to skip September, so as sisters we can make it to the Humanitarian Activity On Sept. 9th at 7 pm. Be sure to get your fleece!

2009-06-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

There will not be

a Test Kitchen held in July.

Have a great Independence Day!

But catch us on

August 12th for canning and dehydrating!!!

Frozen Desserts (June 2009)

2009-06-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Jonutz Homemade Ice Cream
Deanna Jonutz (Demo)

Mix together:

4 Eggs

2 3/4 cups Sugar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Add:2quarts Half 'N Half

1/2 pint Whip Cream

2 cups Milk

Pour above mixture into Ice Cream Maker Cannister. Follow the directions for whatever ice Cream Maker you use. You will need Rock Salt and Ice.

GRASSHOPPER PIE
Cindy Hess(Jonna’s recipe)

24 oreo cookies, crushed with icing
¼ cup butter, melted
1 jar marshmallow cream
¼ cup milk
1 capful peppermint extract
½ pint whipping cream, whipped
green food coloring

Crush oreos and add melted butter. Press in pie tin to form crust.
Soften marshmallow cream 10-15 seconds in microwave. Mix marshmallow cream with milk, food coloring, and peppermint extract. Whip cream in separate bowl, then stir into filling mixture. Pour into pie plate. Freeze for 24 hours.

Ice Cream Cake

Wendy Pellissier

Make box cake mix in pan, cool, freeze,
then top with your favorite carton of ice cream. Just soften the ice cream in the microwave and spread over the frozen cake.
Then pop the whole thing back in the freezer. I make these a day ahead for family birthdays!
The fun is the endless combination of types of cake and ice cream that you can create!

Frozen Watermelon Sherbet

Nancy Holladay

(it doesn’t taste like watermelon, just looks like it)

Need a bowl that looks the right shape for watermelon. If it holds about 12 cups, then it will hold 2 containers of sherbet

Soften 1 container (typically 1.75 qts) of Lime Sherbet and create the “rind” by shaping it about 1” deep all through the bowl. Freeze thoroughly, reshaping as needed – if it gets to soft it won’t stay up on the sides and will need to be reshaped as it hardens.

Soften 1 container of Raspberry Sherbet and stir in about 1 – 1 ½ cups chocolate chips (depending on how many “seeds” you want). Fill in the “rind” with the raspberry sherbet. Freeze.

The longer / harder you freeze it, the easier it is to cut and serve. Cut and serve it as you would watermelon slices or wedges.

Smoothies

I make smoothies out of whatever I have available. I typically use (serves about 2):

1-2 cups of fruit
2-3 scoops of sherbet, ice cream, or frozen yogurt
4 oz or more of yogurt (whatever flavor compliments the fruit I’m using, often use vanilla)
½ cup or more of juice
6-8 ice cubes
(I have on occasion included a raw egg)

Mix in a blender until a good consistency for drinking. If it is too thick, add more juice or ice cubes. If it is too thin, add more fruit or sherbet.

If it seems to be lacking a kick of flavor, I add one tube of single serve Hawaiian Punch (like you would add to a water bottle) or similar or 2-3 Tbls of Tang. These add flavor (and sweetening) without adding liquid.

I frequently choose from the following:
Fruits: Fresh, canned or frozen - Frozen fruits work if individually frozen or in small pieces:
Peaches
Strawberries
Bananas (the brown, over-ripe ones work great!)
Mango
Plums
Apricots
Juices: I like ones with lots of flavor, sometimes I buy 12 oz cans to use
Pineapple
Apricot nectar
Mango
Orange
Apple (can lack that bite of flavor)
Strawberry puree (not sweet, but good flavor)
Raspberry puree (not sweet, but good flavor)

Peanut Butter Pie

Ashley Eyre

(This recipe is from my old roomates mom, Sheila Carlson.)

4 oz. cream cheese

1c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. Peanut butter

1/2 c. milk

9 oz. cool whip

Mix all together in a food processor or blender. Pour into graham cracker crust or oreo crust. Cover and freeze. You can also top it with chocolate chips or whip cream and chocolate shavings.

Chocolate Sauce
Megan Bodily

1 Cube of Butter
1 Can "Canned Milk"
2 Cups Chocolate Chips
2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Over medium -low heat melt Butter and Chocolate Chips
Add Milk stirring constantly, add Powdered Sugar, continue stirring until smooth,
bring to a soft boil. Let boil 2 mins. Remove from heat. Serve warm

Mexican Snowballs
Robin Kalcic (Demo)

2 pints vanilla ice cream
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cover two large baking dishes with plastic wrap, pulling so surface is taut. Drop 16 scoops of ice cream onto prepared dishes, dipping the ice-cream scoop in hot water as you work. Freeze balls until firm, at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss coconut with cinnamon. Toast, tossing occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; let cool.
Working with one ice-cream ball at a time, remove from freezer, and roll in coconut mixture; return to dish in freezer. Freeze until set, at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 day).
Helpful Hint:
To create firm scoops of ice cream that are perfect for rolling in coconut, freeze the ice-cream balls on a baking dish lined with plastic wrap.

No-Bake Oreo Ice Cream Cake
Heidi Little

First layer in 9 X 13 glass pan:

4 stacks of oreo cookies crushed for crust

Second layer:

1/2 gal. vanilla ice cream softened then spread on crust

Freeze

Third layer:

2 jars hot fudge softened (not syrup) spread over frozen ice cream

Fourth layer:

1 pint cool whip softened spread on top

Cover with plastic wrap and Freeze again.

2009-06-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

Come Next Week

Frozen Desserts

Wednesday, June 10th

Bodily home

@ 7 pm

Finger Food Recipes (May 2009)

2009-06-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Mini Cheesecake
Raedene Hodson

2 – 8 oz cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 TB lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
Mini Nilla wafers
Cherry pie filling

Place a mini Nilla wafer (or crushed up graham cracker) in bottom of mini muffin tins. Mix other ingredients together and spoon about 2 - 3 TB of filling over each wafer.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. When cool, top with cherry pie filling.

Won Ton Wraps

Purchase won ton wraps in the produce department of a grocery store. Place one wrap in a mini or regular cupcake tin. Bake at 375 for about 7 -9 minutes. When the wrap is cool, you can fill it with your favorite dip or pudding. I filled mine with Costco Artichoke dip, sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top and baked about 2 – 3 minutes until the cheese was melted.

Crab Mold

8 oz cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup mayo
1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, finely chopped
1 knox gelatin envelope
7 ½ oz canned crab meat

Heat soup and add other ingredients except mayo.

After it cools, add the mayo
Pour into oiled mold at least 3 hours or overnight.

Serve with your favorite crackers or vegetables.

Brownie Goody Bars(betty-crocker)
Jessica Skubal

1 box brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)
2. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. Frost brownies with frosting. Sprinkle with peanuts; refrigerate while making cereal mixture.
4. Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread over frosted brownies. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Shepard’s Bread
Jan Skubal

1 loaf of sourdough bread, cut off top and take out middle
2- 8 oz cream cheese (softened) or 16 oz whipped cream cheese
1 cup cream cheese
1 jar chopped chipped beef, green onion to taste

Mix ingredients and fill loaf of bread. Replace the top, and wrap in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 2-21/2 hrs. Serve warm and dip bread in the mixture. You could use extra bread or crackers for dipping.

Artichoke Cheese Bread
Kristin Beck

1 can or jar of artichoke hearts, chopped

1 c. shredded cheese

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

1 thinly sliced baguette

Use a cookie sheet to arrange the bread. Prepare dip, spoon onto slices of bread, spread to the edges.Cook on high broil for about 5 minutes; but remember, all ovens cook different, so I would recommend not putting the cookie sheet on the highest rack in the oven, also, check after about 2 minutes. Serve these tasty cheesy treats hot, and enjoy!*Any kind of cheese works, spice it up with some pepper jack! You could also use either 1 full cup of mayo or sour cream. The original recipe uses only mayo, but it's a little heavy, so the half and half works perfect. If your oven does not have a reliable broiler, just bake them until the cheese is melted!

TACO DIP
Katie Lemos (Mariah Garcia’s cousin)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef
1 oz. package Lawry’s Taco Seasoning
16 oz. can Rosarita refried beans
2 - 4.25 oz. cans chopped olives
32 oz. sour cream
3 roma tomatoes, diced
4 ½ cups of shredded cheese

Green onions and/or guacamole (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook ground beef as directed on taco seasoning packet. Set aside to cool. In a 9x13 pan, spread even layers per the diagram below starting from the bottom:

Tomatoes
Cheese
Olives
Sour Cream
Seasoned Ground Beef
Beans

Cover and refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips.

Chicken Pillows
Cindy Hess

2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed (Rotisserie chicken works well.)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon onion salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 package buttermilk biscuits
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (Crushed croutons work well.)

Combine the chicken, cream cheese, and seasonings. Separate individual buttermilk biscuits. Place 1½ tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of each biscuit. Fold dough over and seal edges tightly. Roll each pillow in melted butter and then in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until golden brown. Makes 10 chicken pillows. To make mini chicken pillows, cut each biscuit into 4 parts. Follow the same directions as above. Makes 40 mini chicken pillows.

Mini Egg Tart
Melanie Mak

Crust:
½ cup Butter
2oz Cream Cheese
1 Cup and 2 Tablespoon Flour

1. Cut butter and cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes in a food processor.
2. Add flour in a food processor; pulse to mix 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Remove dough from machine and place in a clean surface to knead the dough until it can form a ball. Do not over-knead. You should be able to see little bits of cream cheese in the dough ball.
4. Divide the dough into 24 little balls and put them into the lightly greased mini muffin pan.
5. Use the fingers to press the balls into mini muffin pan. Make sure the dough cover the bottom, and goes up higher than the sides to from a cup shape to hold the egg filling.

Filling:
2 Eggs beaten
1/3 or 1/2 Cup Sugar (Personal Preference)
1 Cup Milk
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1. Mix eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla together until very smooth.
2. Pour the eggs mixture into the mini muffin pan curst until 80% to 90% full.
3. Preheat oven to 400C and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until the filling is not jiggle.

*P.S. If you have the left over filling, you can steam it or bake it in the separate bowl until the filling is not jiggle and enjoy it.

Mint Lemonade
Ashley Eyre

(This is a really easy, kind of a generic version of old kentucky lemonade)

1 can lemonade concentrate
1-2 liter bottle of 7-up
Mint Leaves

Make Lemonade as directed, but substitute 7-up for the water.
Add as many mint leaves as you want.

Warm Spinach Dip
Becky Foulk

2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup fresh spinach (chopped)
2 TB minced garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
pinch of dill
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients above and place in an oven-safe serving dish. Sprinkle a little more grated parmesan on top. Bake on 350 for 35-40 minutes, until parmesan is golden. Serve with veggies or tortilla chips.