FoodBrag Blog

Cheese Tortellini with White Wine Cream Sauce

2012-01-25T06:39:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
Chicken Breast, cooked and cut into strips
Tortellini
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves
2 T. capers
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 c. chicken stock
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. all purpose flour
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 to 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil with salt. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Usually takes about 12 minutes so it works well to start this first while making the sauce and it should be finished just as you are completing the sauce.

Cook chicken breast in a large pan with olive oil. Once fully cooked remove chicken and set aside. Melt butter in same pan used to cook chicken and add onions. Cook until translucent. Add garlic and capers and cook an additional 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add chicken stock and lemon juice. Whisk in flour until thick. Slowly pour in heavy cream and continue to whisk until all flour has been incorporated and no longer chunky. Bring to a low boil. Add spinach and let it wilt. At this point I would add salt and pepper and season to your taste. Cut the already cooked chicken breast into strips, add to sauce. When your tortellini is cooked drain the water and add the pasta to the sauce. Serve hot. Top with freshly grated Romano Cheese. YUM!

Recipe by: Tracy Lytle

Apple Crumble Dessert Pizza

2012-01-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

All I have to say is OH.MY.GOSH.DELISH! It took some serious will power to not eat half the pizza. Looking down at my growing belly helped me stop grabbing for more :) It is a bit involved, but so worth it!

Preheat oven to 425.

Pizza Crust (makes 2 large cookie sheet thin crust dough's)

1 2/3 c. warm water (80 degrees)
2 T. sugar
2 T. oil
2 t. salt
4 1/2 c. all purpose flour (I used all purposed whole wheat)
2 t. yeast

Put all ingredients in order listed in bread machine and select "pizza course". Or you can put all ingredients in order listed into a stand mixer with a kneading attachment. Knead for 5 to 6 minutes and then let it rise until doubled.

Once doubled, cut in half. Roll each half out into a thin crust, spread a light layer of oil over the crust and on the cookie sheet. Set aside.

**I used one crust for the dessert pizza and one for a normal cheese pizza.

Apple Base

2 large apples, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/3 c. water
1 T. butter
2 t. cinnamon
pinch of all spice and nutmeg
___
2 t. corn starch
4 T. cold water

Put all ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover for another 5-10 minutes or until apples are soft. Remove from heat and add cold water/corn starch mixture until thick. Set aside.

Cinnamon Crumble

1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1/2 c. butter, cold
1 t. cinnamon

Mix ingredients into a bowl and cut in the butter until it resembles a course mixture.

Icing

2 c. powdered sugar
3 T. cold milk
1 T. melted butter
1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients and put into a plastic baggie and place in refrigerator.
__

Pre-bake the plain pizza crust in oven for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and spread apple mixture evenly over pizza. Then sprinkle the cinnamon crumble over the apples. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until crust is browned and apple mixture is bubbling. Let cool slightly then cut a hole in the icing bag and drizzle over pizza. Serve warm.

Recipe by: Tracy Lytle

Homemade Hot Chocolate

2012-01-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

Posted by Debi via The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

2012-01-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest! Haven't tried them yet, but I will!!

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10 packets (I found this in my grocery store near the hot chocolate mixes.)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups all purpose flour

1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment. (You really need the parchment!)
In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
With your mixer (or an energetic spoon) cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink mix powder, until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.
Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.
Refrigerate for about an hour. (If you're really impatient you don't have to do this, but it makes it so much easier to work with.)
When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels.
Scoop out cookie dough ball about the size of a walnut. (I used a rounded cookie scoop-full. My scoop holds about a Tablespoon.)
Flatten the ball of dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake 12-14 minutes, or until very lightly browned around the edges. Please don't over-bake! Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off of the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm, carefully twist off of parchment and allow to finish cooling upside down (either on the parchment or on a rack.) If you forget about them and they cool too much and stick to your parchment, put them into the freezer for a few minutes and they'll pop right off.
Yield: about 4 dozen, depending on how large you make your cookies (or how many caramels have been snitched out of your bag before you begin.) Store in an airtight container.

Posted by Debi

Three-Berry Cobbler

2012-01-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

Yield: 4 custard dishes

CRUST:

1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1/4 pound, butter, cut into cubes and kept cold
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

FILLING:

1 1/2 pounds each, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
2 Tablespoons water
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the over to 350.

Crumble together the flour, baking powder, sugar and butter until it is the texture of coarse cornmeal. Blend in the egg and milk. Mix and form into a ball. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out just larger than the custard cups.

Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. When the mixture is thick and syrupy, remove from heat. Spoon the mixture into baking dishes. Cover loosely with the crust and bake for 15 minutes until the crust is lightly browned and the berry filling is bubbling out around the edges. Let cool before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream

Prep time: 1 hour

Recipe from McCormick and Schmick

Apple Halibut

2012-01-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Yield: 2 Servings.

INGREDIENTS:

2 (6 - 7 ozs.) fresh halibut fillets
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
3 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons butter
3 - 4 baby red potatoes, quartered and grilled
3 strips smoked, diced bacon
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 medium apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Lemon Butter Sauce (recipe follows)
2 Tablespoons chopped chives

DIRECTIONS:

Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Lightly dust in the flour. Heat the oil in a saute pan. Sear the halibut over medium-high heat until golden brown. Remove from the pan and hold in a warm oven. Saute the bacon, red onion, and apples in the same pan for about 2 mintues. Place the red potatoes in the center of your plate. Pour the bacon, apples, and onions over the potatoes. Place the warm halibut on top. Pour the Lemon Butter Sauce over the fish, and sprinkle with chives.

Lemon Butter Sauce:

Yield: 1 cup

6 ounces white wine
3 ounces white wine vinegar
3 whole black peppercorns
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces cold butter, cut into pieces

Combine wine, vinegar, peppercorns, and shallot in a noncorrosive saucepan (stainless steel, Teflon, Claphalon). Reduce until the mixture is just 1 to 2 Tablespoons and has the consistency of syrup. Add the cream and reduce again until the mixture is 3 to 4 Tablespoons and very syrupy. Remove the pan from heat. Add the butter pieces, about 2 ounces at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each piece to melt in before adding more. (If the mixture cools too much, the butter will not melt completely and you will have to reheat it slightly.) Strain and hold warm on a stove-top trivet or in a double-boiler until you are ready to use.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

2012-01-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

Puree cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Photo Credit: ourbestbites.com

Orange & Avocado Salad

2012-01-04T18:55:00.000-08:00

This salad is deliciously fresh and is a great addition to a Mexican dinner - or any meal really. We love it! From Eating Well.

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup orange segments
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup slivered red onion
Cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, diced (optional)
1/2 cup Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS:

Toss greens, orange segments, avocado and onion in a salad bowl. Toss with vinaigrette.

Nutrition Information:
Per servings: 223 calories; 19 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 14 g Mono; 0 mg. Cholesterol; 14 g Carbs; 3 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 142 mg Sodium; 612 mg Potassium

4 Servings
Prep Time" 15 minutes

Posted by Debi

Double Layer Pumpkin Pe

2011-11-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

4 oz (1/2 of 8 oz package) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tub (8oz) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6oz)
1 cup milk
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
2 pkg. (4servings size each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

MIX cream cheese, 1 Tbsp. milk, and the sugar in a large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. (I accidentally skipped this step and everyone loved it.) Spread onto bottom of crust.

POUR 1 cup milk into large bowl. Add pumpkin, dry pudding mixes and spices. Beat with a wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Spread over cream cheese layer.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining whipped topping just before serving. Store leftover pie in the refrigerator.

"Better Than Campbell's" Tomato Soup

2011-10-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Difficulty: easy

Time: 30 minutes

Serving: 4

Gluten Free option!

Ingredients:

9 oz of Muir Glen organic fire roasted tomato's

1/2 c. Ground almonds OR you can use plain bread crumbs (not the italian, do not want flavor)

3 3/4 c. Chicken or vegetable stock

3 T. Butter

2/3 c. Heavy cream or milk

1 t. Sugar

Handful chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Blend almonds in food processor (I used a Vitamix) until finely ground, add tomato's, butter, sugar and 1/2 c. stock and blend until smooth. Pour soup into a pot and put stove on low*. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low until heated through. Top with fresh basil and a grilled cheese sandwich on the side!

*Make sure to not have the stove any higher than a low setting or it will cause the milk to curdle.

Recipe By: Tracy Lytle

Celebrate Apple Week

2011-09-19T09:25:00.001-07:00

I found this website, The Southern Plate, where they are offering lots of great apple recipes to try and enjoy.

Coconut Banana Cream Pie

2011-08-15T03:55:00.000-07:00

I have an amazing cookbook by Cook's Illustrated titled, Baking Illustrated. It teaches you how to make the best of every dessert possible. Like a baking encyclopedia. I love it. This original recipe for Coconut Cream Pie came from them - I tweaked it a bit to make it my own, and now Tom's favorite.

INGREDIENTS

1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk, well stirred. (not cream of coconut!)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 1/4) oz.) unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 t. salt
5 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 T. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 - 2 bananas sliced
whipped topping

DIRECTIONS

Bring the coconut milk, milk, shredded coconut, 1/3 c. sugar and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. When the mixture reaches a simmer, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl to break them up, then whisk in the remaining 1/3 c. sugar and cornstarch until well combined and no lumps remain. Gradually whisk the simmering liquid into the yolk mixture to temper it, then return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened, about 30 seconds (it actually took a few minutes for me). Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and butter. Pour half the filling into a cooled, baked pie crust. Slice the bananas on top of filling and add remaining filling on top of bananas. Press a sheet of plastic wrap over the surface of the pie and refrigerate until the filling is cold and firm, at least 3 hours.

Serve with whipped topping. You can add toasted coconut on the top of the whipped cream, but I preferred not to. The coconut in the filling was sufficient to my taste.

Posted by Debi

U.S. 1 Blueberry Key Lime Pie

2011-08-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

2008 AMERICAN PIECOUNCIL/CRISCO NATIONAL PIECHAMPIONSHIP AMATEUR BEST OF SHOW

BY JOHN SUNVOLD, WINTER SPRINGS, FLA.

  CRUST 

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
 ½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

 Mix all ingredients together and press mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake in a 375 -degree oven for 20* minutes, or until brown. Allow to cool down to room temperature. *Kitchen Ade note: I found this pie crust only needed 10 minutes to brown.  

KEY LIME LAYER

 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
 2 large eggs 
¾ cup Key lime juice 

Mix all of the ingredients and pour mixture into the cooled pie shell. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 2 hours.  

BLUEBERRY PRESERVES LAYER 

Spread ¾ cup Smucker’s blueberry preserves on the top of the Key lime layer.

Cover fully from crust to crust. Do not let preserves touch the crust, as it may get soggy with contact. Chill.

  WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE LAYER

 2 ½ cups heavy cream
 ¼-pound (4 ounces) white chocolate, broken into small pieces

 Bring ½ cup of cream to a boil over medium heat. Add white chocolate and stir constantly until the chocolate is melted, and the mixture is combined. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  

In a large bowl, beat the rest of the heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed. Beat until soft peaks form. Slowly add the white chocolate mixture and continue to beat until stiff. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Top the blueberry preserves layer with the white chocolate mousse. Garnish with fresh blueberries and grated lime peel (for color). Chill for 2 hours. Serves 8.

Posted by Debi Walter

Picture to follow when I bake this pie this weekend for Ashley's BD.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

2011-08-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on the Good Life Eats blog. Believe it or not, it was a delicious soup to enjoy on a hot summer day. Try it for yourself - I like this one BETTER than the one Panera offers on their menu.

INGREDIENTS:

For The Chicken:
1 lb. chicken - boneless, skinless breasts
1 stalk celery, cut into thirds
half of lemon sliced
handful of fresh parsley
1/4 t. each, salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth (I added more to cover chicken)

For The Soup:
1 onion, dices
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup white wine
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
3 egg yolks
2 - 3 T. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. fresh parsley, minced
1 1/4 t. fresh thyme
2 - 3 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

For the chicken:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium pan. Bring to a boil and simmer until chicken is cooked. Remove from heat. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Shred with a fork when cool. Toss remaining ingredients. (the original recipe called for using a pressure cooker. See their website for all the directions if you choose to use one.)

For the soup:
Add 1 T. of olive oil in a large dutch oven. Saute the onion over medium-high heat until golden and tender. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.

Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and carrots. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and lemon together. Add 1 cup of hot broth from the dutch oven very slowly to the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you pour. Then, transfer the mixture to the dutch oven, Stir in the orzo and chicken.

Continue cooking over medium-low until the pasta and carrots are tender. Just before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the thyme, parsley, and spinach. Serve immediately

Serve with hot fresh bread, or a handful of oyster crackers. ENJOY!

posted by Debi Walter

Spicy Veggie Frittata

2011-06-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 t. coconut oil

1/4 c. onion

1/2 jalapeno (you can leave seeds in or take out depending on how spicy you want it)

1 clove garlic

2 baby bella mushrooms

2 heads of steamed broccoli

3 egg whites

1/4 c. spicy cheese (I used raw milk jalapeno jack cheese)

few chopped tomatoes

parsley for garnish

Heat coconut oil in a small sauce pan. Finely chop all ingredients. Add onion, jalapeno and saute until tender. Add garlic, mushrooms and broccoli and saute until heated. Pat down all the ingredients, covering the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour the egg whites over the veggies and cover with lid. Let cook for 1 minute or until slightly browned on bottom. Flip the frittata and sprinkle with cheese and cover again until cheese is melted. Put on plate and garnish with tomatoes and parsley. I also added hot sauce on the side.

Be careful to not overcook!!

Lemon Meringue Pie

2011-06-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

This is my Husband's absolute favorite pie. Being Father's Day I decided to tackle it. I have always been nervous to make one, I don't know why, it just seemed daunting to get the meringue the right consistency. This recipe was super easy and made a delicious pie! Definitely going to make it again real soon.

**Note** The lemon dropped on the side of the pie was an accident turned into a "garnish". Ha!

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2-3 lemons, juiced and zested, depending on the size
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 298 | Total Fat: 10.3g | Cholesterol: 110mg

Recipe taken from: Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie

Posted by: Tracy

Sourdough Starter for Boule Bread

2011-05-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe adapted from the book Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes A Day. I say adapted because of the type of flour I use. I recently purchased Hard White Wheat, Soft White Wheat and Hard Red Wheat berries and I am working on adapting all my recipes to include these flours instead of the all-purpose white flour. My changes are in italics.

The purpose of a sourdough starter is one for the flavor and two for the convenience (for me) of having fresh dough readily available to bake bread quickly. Since we started milling our own flour the time involved in baking bread has slightly increased and for me that is not a good thing.

Here is the recipe. If you can get through all the wording (it does seem extensive) and just follow the steps one by one you will realize making fresh bread every day really is not that daunting. Once you have your starter you will have 4 lbs of fresh dough to make bread with for the next 2 weeks.

Ingredients:

3 cups lukewarm water

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt or 1 1/2 tablespoons other coarse salt

6 1/2 cups flour, unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose (not strong) I used my Hard White Wheat flour

1 Preparing Dough for Storage:

2 Warm the water slightly. It should feel just a little warmer than body temperature. Warm water will rise the dough to the right point for storage in about 2 hours. With cold water it will need 3-4 hours.

3 Add the yeast to the water in a 5 quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded (not airtight) plastic food container or food-grade bucket. Don't worry about getting it all to dissolve.

4 Mix in the flour and salt - kneading is unnecessary. Add all of the flour at once, measuring it in with dry-ingredient measuring cups, by gently scooping up the flour, then sweeping the top level with a knife or spatula. Don't press down into the flour as you scoop or you'll throw off the measurement. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor (14 cups or larger) fitted with the dough attachment, or a heavy duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook until the mixture is uniform. If you're hand mixing and it becomes too difficult to incorporate all the flour with the spoon, you can reach into your mixing vessel with very wet hands and press the mixture together. Don't knead, it isn't necessary. You're finished when everything is uniformly moist, without dry patches. It takes a few minutes, and will yield a dough that is wet and loose enough to conform to the shape of its container.

5 Allow to rise. Cover with lid (not airtight or it could explode the lid off). Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flattens on the top), approx 2 hours, depending on room temperature, and initial water temperature Longer rising times, up to 5 hours, won't harm the result.

6 You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Fully refrigerated dough is less sticky and easier to work with than dough at room temperature.

7 On Baking Day:

8 prepare your loaf tin, tray, or whatever you're baking it in/on. Sprinkle the surface of your refrigerated dough with four. Pull up and cut of a grapefruit-size piece of dough (c 1 lb), using a serrated knife.

9 Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all 4 sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Most of the dusting flour will fall off - that's fine, it isn't meant to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will sort itself out during resting and baking.

10 The correctly shaped final product will be smooth and cohesive. The entire process should take no more than 30 - 60 seconds.

11 Rest the loaf and let it rise in the form, on the tray/pizza peel, for about 40 minutes Depending on the age of the dough, you may not see much rise during this period. That's fine, more rising will occur during baking.

12 Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450°F Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

13 Dust and Slash. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow the slashing knife to pass without sticking. Slash a quarter inch deep cross, diagonal lines, or tic-tac-toe pattern on top using a serrated knife.

14 After a 20 min preheat you're ready to bake, even though the oven thermometer won't be at full temperature yet. Put your loaf in the oven. Pour about 1 cup of hot water (from the tap) into the broiler tray and close the oven to trap the steam.

15 Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch.

16 Store the rest of the dough in the fridge in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next 14 days.

The flavour and texture improves, becoming like sourdough. Even 24 hours of storage improves the flavour.

17 This is the standard bread. There are loads of variations - both savory and sweet - in the book.

I would highly recommend buying this book or borrowing it from your local library.

Recipe posted by: Tracy Lytle

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/5-minute-artisan-bread-325571#ixzz1NH4CBBeQ

Whole Wheat Waffles

2011-05-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Serving: 6

Difficulty: Intermediate

2 eggs

1 3/4 c. milk

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil)

1/4 c. plain applesauce

1 t. vanilla

_______________________mix together

1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. oatmeal

2 T. brown sugar

4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. kosher salt

________________________mix together

Combine wet and dry ingredient and stir until all lumps are gone. Heat waffle machine and cook according to manufacture specifications. Makes 6 medium waffles.

Recipe By: Tracy Lytle

Whole Wheat Strawberry Poptarts

2011-05-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

I found a really cool blog Cheekykitchen.com. I cannot wait to try more of her recipes. This recipe for poptarts was amazing! This is her recipe with a few of my own changes in italics.

Crust:
1 C whole wheat
1/2 C white flour (I used 1 1/2 cups of soft white wheat berries, milled)
2 t sugar (I used brown sugar)
1/2 t salt
½ c. cold butter, sliced
4-5 Tbsp. cold milk

In large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, and salt. Cut in slices of butter using a pastry cutter (or fork, if you have to) until the largest pieces resemble peas. It’s important that you don’t touch the crust with your bare hands, no matter how tempting that mixing option might be. You want the butter to stay as cold as possible and your hands will warm it up and make the crust less flaky. Pour the milk over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, just until moistened enough to hold the dough together. Use a fork to stir the dough after you’ve added each Tablespoon of milk. Quickly form the crust into a ball. Refrigerate until ready to use. (I stuck it in the freezer for 20 minutes and it was perfect!)

1 prepared batch of Whole Wheat Pie Crust (listed above)

Fresh Strawberry Filling:
1 T. butter, sliced
1 c. strawberries
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ c. sugar (I cut this in half)
1 T. cornstarch (I did not have cornstarch on hand so I substituted whole wheat flour)
Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
1 T. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 T. heavy cream (I used whole milk and it came out fine)
Pink Icing gel
Sprinkles
In a small saucepan, combine all Strawberry Filling ingredients. Heat over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken. Allow to cool. On a lightly-floured cutting board, roll pie crust ¼” thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut pie dough into same-sized rectangles, approximately 4” tall x 3” wide. Spoon a 2-3 Tablespoons of the strawberry mixture on top of one of the rectangles. Gently place a second rectangle of pie dough atop. Secure edges together by pressing them gently with the tines of a fork. Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the tart begin to brown slightly. Remove and cool.
To make the glaze, stir together all ingredients until a thick, spreadable consistency is reached. Spoon a thin layer of the frosting on top of cooled strawberry tarts. Allow frosting to harden before serving.

ENJOY!

Fruit Leather

2011-04-01T06:16:00.000-07:00

This is easy, but it takes a long time so you have to be patient.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12-15 hours
Serves: Probably 8 to 12 depending on big you cut them

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C. Chopped strawberries (or any other fruit)
1 T. Sugar
1/4 C. Water
1 T. Freshly Squeezed Lemon (about half of a lemon)

Cut strawberries and combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and let it cook down until fruit is soft. Pour fruit mixture in a food processor or blender and blend until pureed.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Spray generously with cooking spray. Spread fruit mixture over sheet and place in a warm oven. I put my in my warming drawer on the low setting, you could also turn your oven on 170 and dry it in there. I would prop the door open though for ventilation if you used your oven.

Then you let the waiting game begin! I put mine in the oven at 7:00pm and it was ready the next morning by 7:15am. Most recipes say you have to flip it half way through the process, but I didn't want to bother with it so I just let it be and it came out just fine! So no extra work, always a plus! :)

Recipe by: Tracy Lytle

Cereal Breakfast Bars

2011-03-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

This is quick, easy and really yummy! Definitely worth making at least once :)

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
1/2 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar (any kind will work)
1/2 c. honey ( if using agave honey cut the quantity in half)
1/2c. cranberries or raisins
1/4 c. ground flax seed
1/2 c. roasted peanuts
3 cups of your favorite cereal - I used plain cheerios

Grease 13x9 pan. Add dry ingredients to pan and mix together. In a medium sauce pan, melt sugar, honey and peanut butter together over medium/high heat. Be careful to not burn, stir constantly! Just when it starts to boil remove from heat and carefully pour over cereal mixture. Combine well and press into pan.

Let cool and cut into bars. Enjoy!

This recipe is easy to change around. Add whatever you have to mix it up. Almonds, sunflower seeds, M&M's...whatever you can find! Share you variation of this with us.

Recipe by: Tracy Lytle

Pasta Tuna Salad

2011-03-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Difficulty: Easy

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: A LOT :)

Dressing:
1/3 c. Mayo
3/4 c. Plain Greek yogurt
1 T. Apple cider vinegar
1/2 t. Spicy brown mustard
Squeeze of lemon juice
1/2 t. Paprika
1/2 t. Kosher salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. Onion powder

Combine all ingredients well, set aside.

Pasta:
1 (1lb) Package egg noodles, cooked, drained and cooled
2 Cans of tuna, drained
1 Cucumber
1/2 c. Mix of red, orange and yellow peppers
1 Small sweet onion
2 Stalks of celery
2 Carrots
3 to 4 Hard boiled eggs
2 T. Fresh chopped parsley

Chop all veggies finely. Combine all ingredients in a 13x9 pan and stir in dressing. Refrigerate for 4 hours or longer.

The fun thing with this recipe is you can add as many fresh veggies and other ingredients as you want! Try broccoli, olives, cheese, or some chopped turkey or salami if you are not a fan of tuna. Have fun with it and share your versions with us!

Recipe by: Tracy Lytle

No Knead, No Bread Machine Bread

2011-03-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

This bread is great for sandwiches! It is so super easy I am convinced anyone can make fresh, homemade bread!

Get out your mixer and get ready for the most delicious bread!

1/2 C. warm milk

1/2 C. hot water (I just turned on my faucet on the hottest it could go and took my water from here)

4 T. melted butter

3 T. brown sugar

3 C. flour

1 1/4 t. salt

2 t. instant yeast

In order listed, place in your mixers bowl. With the paddle attachment mix on high until it forms a dough that pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Change to a bread kneading hook and mix on med. speed until a smooth ball forms (about 5 minutes).

Lightly grease bread pan and with lightly oiled hands press dough into the pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic and place in a warm spot for 60 minutes or until risen just above the rim of the pan.

Bake bread at 350 for about 35 minutes, until it's light golden brown.

Simple Couscous

2011-03-16T06:01:00.001-07:00

Again, no picture! Sorry.

Simple Couscous

1 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup water
2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. yellow bell pepper
1/4 c. orange bell pepper
1/4 c. red bell pepper
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil 1 cup of water and quickly stir in the couscous, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Chop peppers, onion and garlic. Saute in butter until soft. Add garlic for the last minute.
Chop parsley, set aside.
After couscous is finished stir pepper mixture, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe By: Tracy Lytle

*I served this with the lemon roasted chicken and greek yogurt sauce.

Roasted Lemon Chicken With Greek Yogurt Sauce

2011-03-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

I unfortunately did not get a picture before we ate all of this meal. It was that good.

Roasted Lemon Chicken

1 whole chicken, washed and pat dry

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Onion powder

Garlic powder

2 T. Coconut Oil

2 T. Butter

2 Lemons

Preheat oven to 450.
Melt butter and oil and stir in juice from 1 lemon.
Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a greased. 13x9 pan.
Pour the oil, butter lemon mixture on chicken and rub in, get it on the inside as well.
Rub all dry ingredients on chicken.
Poke holes in remaning lemon and stuff inside the chicken.

The chicken can be put in the fridge at this point until ready to cook, I did it for 4 hours and it could go up to 24 hours.

Place chicken in oven and roast on 450 for 20 minutes.
Turn down to 400 and roast an additional 40 minutes or until juices run clear.

Greek Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4

Recipe provided by the Greek Gods

Adding Greek yogurt to this dish adds moisture and a tangy burst of flavor, making it the perfect way to spice up a normal chicken dish. Serve with grilled vegetables and tabouleh for a delicious, healthy Greek meal.

Ingredients

1 cup greek yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon zest, finely grated

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (preferably fresh squeeze)

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 wholes clove garlic, peeled and diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Combine yogurt, lemon peel and juice, oregano, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.

Spoon the Greek Gods Greek Yogurt over the chicken and serve.

Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars

2011-03-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 square)

Ingredients

Crust:
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons orange juice
Cooking spray
Filling:
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup sour cream (I substituted with greek yogurt)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. To prepare crust, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle butter and juice over flour mixture, stirring until moistened (mixture will be crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture into the bottom of an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. To prepare filling, combine cranberries, sour cream, granulated sugar, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spread cranberry mixture over prepared crust; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over filling. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Cherry-Oatmeal Bars: Substitute dried cherries for the dried cranberries and lemon rind for the orange rind in filling.

CALORIES 135 (31% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.6g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.7g; CARB 21.5g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 13mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 68mg; CALC 27mg

Maple-Date-Oatmeal Bars: Substitute chopped pitted dates for the dried cranberries. Omit granulated sugar from filling, and add 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.

CALORIES 124 (33% from fat); FAT 4.6g (sat 2.6g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.7g; CARB 19.8g; FIBER 1.1g; CHOL 13mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 68mg; CALC 26mg

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 133 (31% from fat)
Fat:: 4.6g (sat 2.6g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.2g)
Protein:: 1.5g
Carbohydrate:: 21.9g
Fiber:: 0.9g
Cholesterol:: 13mg
Iron:: 0.6mg
Sodium:: 67mg
Calcium:: 20mg; Recipe By: Cooking Light Magazine

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread Pudding with Chocolate Caramel Sauce

2011-03-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

This one is in honor of National Peanut Butter Day, which is TODAY! I haven't tried it, but it looks amazing - let us know how it is, should you try it.

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices of Nature's Pride Country White Bread
2 TBS butter
4 tsp white sugar

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, crunchy style
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup palm sugar, or light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

6 3/4 cup ramekins, lightly buttered

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Spread the slices of bread with the butter and sprinkle with sugar. Grill on a hot grill about 1 minute, rotating the slices 90º to get nice cross hatching.

In a bowl, stir together the peanut butter, bananas and palm sugar. Spread the mixture on the toasted bread. Cut each slice into 3/4 inch to 1 inch cubes. Place the cubes loosely into the buttered ramekins.

In a small saucepan, scald the half and half. Stir in the sugar. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add a small amount of the half and half to the eggs, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Add the remaining half and half mixture while continuing to whisk. Stir in the vanilla.

Pour the custard mixture into the ramekins. Push the cubes of bread into the custard mixture. Allow to sit for five minutes before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned and the custard is just set.

Allow to cool briefly before upending the ramekins onto serving plates. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and the chocolate caramel sauce.

Chocolate Caramel Sauce
(Adapted from Joy of Cooking)

1 cup golden brown sugar
1 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chips)

Melt sugar, stirring constantly. Stir in butter and heavy cream. After you have smooth caramel, remove the pan from heat and stir in chocolate. The heat from the caramel sauce should be sufficient to melt and incorporate the chocolate.

Recipe from Javaholic

Posted by Debi

Bananas Foster

2011-02-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 1/2 Tablespoon rum
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pint vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon. When mixture begins to bubble, place bananas and walnuts in pan. Cook until bananas are hot, 1 - 2 minutes. Serve at once over vanilla ice cream.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4

Recipe from: Allrecipes.com

Posted by Debi

Roasted Pheasant with Whiskey-Cumberland Sauce

2011-02-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:
1/8 cup Scotch Whiskey
1 orange, cut into 1/8ths
2 springs fresh thyme
1 3 lb. pheasant
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 slices bacon halved

Whiskey Cumberland Sauce:
1/2 cup Scotch Whiskey
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup red currant jelly
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

For the pheasant: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss the oranges with 1 and a half T. of whiskey. Rub the pheasant with the remaining 1 T. of whiskey and lightly season with salt and pepper. Stuff the pheasant with the oranges and fresh thyme, and close the cavity with skewers. Wrap the breast of each pheasant with the bacon and set in a roasting pan. Roast the pheasant until and instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F. - about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes.

For the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the whiskey, orange juice and orange zest, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by 50 percent in volume. Add the currant jelly, salt and cayenne and stir well.

Cook until thickened, about 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a decorative bowl. Cool slightly before serving.

Remove the bacon from the pheasant, if desired, and cut each bird in half. Discard the oranges and thyme in the cavity. Serve hot with Whiskey-Cumberland Sauce and wild rice.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Intermediate
Serves: 2

Recipe from Emeril Lagasse, 2001

Posted by Debi

Scottish Eggs

2011-01-29T07:30:00.001-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage (in tube)
9 hard-boiled eggs (bring to boil and let simmer for 10 minutes, peel immediately)
1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
Salt & Pepper to taste
Oil for frying. (I used Smart Balance oil)

DIRECTIONS:

- Boil eggs, peel and set aside.
- Slice sausage into 9 equal portions.
- Place flour on a plate, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Place bread crumbs on a plate, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Beat eggs in a small bowl.

Set up each dish in assembly line fashion in this order: sausage, flour, hard-boiled eggs, beaten eggs, bread crumbs.

Take one slice of sausage and place in flour. Lightly dusting both sides to make handling easy. Kneed and flatten in round circle with hands. Once it's large enough, roll HB egg in flour, then wrap sausage around egg. Completely seal all around, then dip in beaten egg mixture being sure to cover the entire egg. Lift with a spoon and place in bread crumbs. Roll egg around until completely covered. Set aside. Continue this process until all eggs are ready.

Place oil in deep pan on stove and heat until it reaches 350 F. Be sure not to let the oil get too hot - it can catch fire over 400 F. Or use a small fryer. Place three eggs in pot at a time and fry for 6 minutes, being sure the eggs are completely immersed. If you are pan frying with less oil, you'll need to fry 4 minutes on each side browning evenly on all sides.

Remove from oil and drain on paper-towel lined baking sheet. Serve warm or chill to serve cold on a fresh bed of Watercress greens. You can serve them sliced in half or in wedges. They are amazing!!!

Posted by Debi

Wassail

2011-01-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

Twelfth Night, the eve of January 5, is in English folk custom the end of Christmas merrymaking and in ancient Celtic tradition the end of the 12-day winter solstice celebration.

On this night, it was customary for the assembled company to toast one another from the wassail bowl. In Old English, wassail means “Be in good health,” but the term also was applied to the drink itself (usually spiced ale).

Here is a recipe I received from The Old Farmer's Almanac:

Yield: about 1-1/2 gallons

* 1 gallon apple cider
* 2 cups orange juice
* 8 sticks cinnamon
* 10 to 12 whole cloves
* 2 to 3 whole star anise pods
* 1 tablespoon allspice berries
* 1 lemon, quartered
* 2 oranges, sliced
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 gallon white wine
* 2 cups rum

In a large stockpot over low heat, combine cider, juice, spices, fruit, and sugar and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from heat. Strain and discard solids and return liquid to pot. Add wine and rum and return to heat to warm through. Ladle into mugs and serve immediately.

Posted by Debi

Chocolate Peppermine Crinkle Cookies

2010-12-05T14:24:00.001-08:00

Yields 3 dozen cookies

* 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons spooned and leveled bleached all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 2 3/4 cups sugar, divide
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* 2 large eggs
* 1 large egg yolk
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 ½ tablespoons of peppermint extract
* 1 cup sugar

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together well the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50 percent power for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 15 seconds more and stir; set aside.
2. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together 2 1/2 cups of the sugar, the oil, butter and corn syrup to blend. Beat in the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla and peppermint extract. Then on low, beat in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and beat in on low speed. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
3. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line bakesheet with parchment. Take out about one-quarter of the dough at a time to shape. Roll the dough into 2 inch balls. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar into one bowl and the confectioners’ sugar in another bowl. Roll each cookie dough ball lightly in granulated sugar first, then very heavily in confectioners’ sugar. (By rolling in plain sugar first, the confectioners’ sugar does not soak in so much and stays on the surface better).
4. Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on the foil. For crisp cookies, bake 12 to 14 minutes. For a chewier cookie, bake 10-12 minutes. Bake one sheet at a time.

Adapted from Shirley Corriher

Posted by Debi Walter (I haven't baked these yet, but I will tonight!) I'll post a comment as to how they turned out.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Asparagus Risotto

2010-10-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

I took this recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto and made it my own. It is different, but delicious and creamy. I hope you try it.

Prep Time:: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time:: --
Cook Time:: 40 min

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 4 to 6 servings

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
2 T. butter
1 small red onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 t. sage
1 bunch asparagus, chopped
4 T. olive oil
6 to 7 cups of chicken stock
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle 2 T. olive oil. Peel and cut up the butternut squash, discard the seeds. Spread squash on the baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss in the olive oil to coat. Roast squash for 25 minutes on the middle rack.

Melt butter in a large, deep pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 1 minute. Add rice until gently browned. Slowly add chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time and stir to incorporate. Continue adding chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until all stock is used or rice is tender.

In separate pan add remaining 2 T. olive oil and chopped asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on medium heat until slightly tender.

Add butternut squash, asparagus and cheese to rice, stir well. Enjoy :)

Recipe By: Tracy Lytle

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

2010-08-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

This time I don't have pictures of my own. But this recipe is incredible and I would highly encourage you to try it! I have included the link to the blog where I found it. Please visit to see her amazing photo detailed recipe. Recipe taken from Smitten Kitchen. My changes are in italics.

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad
Gourmet, September 2006

Makes 4 (main course) or 8 (side dish) servings

1 1/2 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 lb zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes I omitted this because they are not in season right now & too expensive
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped scallion (from 1 bunch)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander I omitted this
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (note: I used 1/8 tsp. and it was plenty spicy; adjust to taste)
1 1/4 cups pearl barley (8 oz)
1 (14-oz) can reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (1 3/4 cups) I used my freshly made stock!
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved I omitted this
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed and drained if desired
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup fresh feta cheese

Roast eggplant and zucchini: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then spread in 2 oiled large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Combine vegetables in 1 pan and cool, reserving other pan for cooling barley.

Cook barley: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Make dressing and assemble salad: Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add barley, roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients to bowl with dressing and toss until combined well. Serve with cheese slices.

Do ahead: Salad can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Return to room temperature before serving. It was even better after it sat for a day. The onions soaked up all the dressing and were so tasty.

Posted By: Tracy

Healthy Energy Bars

2010-08-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
20 bars

Oil for greasing pan
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3 T. toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup raw peanuts
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup whey protein powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 ounce maple syrup
1 ounce honey
2 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Place all ingredients except the syrup, honey and eggs in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the syrup and eggs and pulse until the mixture is well combined. It will resemble a coarse paste.
Transfer to the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until just done, about 20 minutes. Cut into 20 squares.

Tips:
This is a very adaptable recipe. The original recipe come from Ellie Krieger from Food Network. I omitted, added and changed the ingredients to fit my taste. You can do the same, open your pantry and be creative! I'd love to hear what you came up with!

Posted By: Tracy

Ranch Dressing

2010-08-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe from thepioneerwoman.com. She has a lot of delicious recipes with great pictures detailing each step.

This is amazing and I highly recommend you try some for your family. Making homemade dressings are economical and a healthy way of eating - they do not have additives or high fructose corn syrup. Although, ranch dressing is not the healthiest choice, oh well :) I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

1 c. mayo (I used Hellmann's light)

1/2 c. greek yogurt (you could use sour cream as well)

buttermilk until desired consistency (you could use regular milk)

1 clove of garlic, mashed

pinch of kosher salt

1/4 c. parsley

2 T. chives

dash dill

combine mayo and yogurt in bowl, set aside. chop garlic, sprinkle with salt and then mash with a fork. add to mayo/yogurt mix. add all herbs and stir to incorporate. slowly add buttermilk until desired consistency. taste it and add more salt or herbs as needed. refrigerate for 2 hours and serve.

* I didn't have fresh herbs on hand so I used dried. If you go the same route use less than the recipe call for, it tends to have a stronger flavor being dried. Fresh would definitely make this dressing better, but if you don't have it dried worked just fine.

Enchiladas - Tex Mex Style

2010-08-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

The following is taken from the Allrecipes website.

The Anatomy of an Enchilada

There are four basic components to any enchilada: tortillas, filling, sauce, and topping.

Tortillas come in two basic varieties: corn and flour. Both varieties are common in Tex-Mex cooking, although corn tortillas are much more traditional in Mexico.

* Corn tortillas are made from a simple mixture of water and masa harina, a specially treated corn flour.
* Flour tortillas are made from wheat flour and usually contain baking powder and shortening or lard. They're larger and thinner than corn tortillas, and because the wheat flour allows the dough to be stretched without crumbling.
* Both varieties of tortilla are kneaded into a pliable dough, pressed or rolled into thin discs, and cooked quickly on a hot iron griddle.
* Unless you are using tortillas that are literally "hot off the press," your best bet is to heat tortillas briefly in a hot pan with a small amount of oil to make them pliable and resistant to tearing.
* If you have a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, you can skip the oil and just heat the tortillas for about thirty seconds per side.
* Stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft until you're ready to fill and roll the enchiladas.

* Tortillas from Scratch

Fillings

Enchiladas can contain a variety of fillings: shredded meats such as beef, pork, or chicken, as well as vegetables, beans or cheese.

* After spreading a spoonful of your favorite filling down the middle of a tortilla, add a stripe of sauce.
* Roll it up tightly and place it in a baking dish, seam-side down.
* Continue filling the enchiladas, lining them up in the dish side by side; cover them with more sauce before baking.

Top-rated meat fillings:

* Spicy Shredded Beef
* Charley's Slow Cooker Mexican-Style Meat
* Ronaldo's Beef Carnitas
* Mexican-Style Shredded Pork

Sauces

Enchilada sauce in the American kitchen falls into three basic categories to match the colors of the Mexican flag: red, white and green.

* Red sauce has a deep and rich taste derived from its base of both dried and fresh chiles, often with the addition of tomato puree. Many red enchilada sauce recipes you will see call for chili powder. Chili powder is not a single spice, but rather a custom blend of dried red chiles, cumin, oregano, garlic and salt.
* Green sauce has a light, fresh taste thanks to its base of fresh green chiles. Both red and green enchilada sauces are seasoned with garlic, onions, cumin, salt and pepper.
* Finally, the most distinctly American of the three varieties is the white sauce enchilada. "White sauce" often consists of nothing more than sour cream, although it is often mixed with diced green chiles, fresh herbs, lime juice, or even condensed soup.

* Enchilada Sauce
* Red Enchilada Sauce
* Mrs Espy's Enchilada Sauce
* Ten Minute Enchilada Sauce

Toppings

If you love cheese-topped enchiladas, try Cheddar, Jack, or Mexican Cotija cheeses.

* Sprinkle shredded cheese generously over the top of the enchiladas, then bake them in a moderate oven--350 degrees F (175 degrees C)--until the enchiladas are heated through, the sauce is nice and bubbly, and the cheese is melted. This should take about 30 minutes. (Cover pan with foil if you'd like to keep the edges of the enchiladas soft.)
* Meanwhile, prepare your favorite accompaniments: sour cream, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced red onions, diced tomatoes, chopped olives, salsa and guacamole, or anything else that makes your Tex-Mex feast feel complete!

* Easiest, Amazing Guacamole
* Chipotle Guacamole
* Citrus-Infused Guacamole
* Tomatillo Guacamole
* Fresco Salsa
* Roasted Tomato Salsa I

Want More?

* Cuisine of Texas
* Cuisine of the Southwest
* Classic Tequila Cocktails

Zucchini Spread

2010-08-11T12:47:00.001-07:00

This is delicious with a nice crispy bread and not to mention it is healthy too!

3 cups of zucchini, shredded

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. olive oil

4 T. cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 t. cumin

1 c. plain Greek yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

Shred the zucchini and place in a colander for 30 minutes to drain extra juice. Mix all together and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Cheese Crackers

2010-08-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

1 cup flour

1 cup shredded cheese (use whatever you want)

4 T. cold butter, cut up in chunks

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

4 T. water

Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly coat with oil. Combine all ingredients, except water, in a food processor. Pulse until well incorporated. Add water 1 T. at a time until it turns into a soft dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Once chilled, roll out dough and use a small cookie cutter. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffy and golden.

Posted By: Tracy

Greek Salad Dressing

2010-08-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

Absolutely Fabulous Greek/House Dressing

Rated:

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 10 Minutes

Submitted By: DANIELLE M.

Servings: 4

"This is the 'secret' Greek dressing recipe from the pizzeria that I work at. The recipe makes almost a gallon but can be scaled down easily. It can be used for picnics and travels very well, since it doesn't need to be refrigerated. This is the best dressing I have ever tasted, people offer to buy it constantly, but if we sold it we wouldn't be able to make enough to use in the restaurant!"

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

Absolutely Fabulous Greek/House Dressing (continued)

2 of 2

DIRECTIONS: (continued)

You have scaled this recipe's ingredients to yield a new amount (4). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield (120).

1.	In a very large container, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Pour in the vinegar, and mix vigorously until well blended. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Nutrition
Information

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Calories: 104

Amount Per Serving

Total Fat: 10.9g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 246mg

Amount Per Serving

Total Carbs: 2g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3g
Protein: 0.2g

Creamed Corn with Jalapeno and Thyme

2010-08-06T05:27:00.000-07:00

I had this dish at The Commander's Palace in New Orleans several years ago. It was so amazing I bought the cookbook, Commander's Kitchen, which included the recipe. Here it is for you to try - and with corn so abundant this year (and inexpensive) it won't break your budget either.

Difficulty: moderate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

8 ears fresh corn, shucked
1 pint heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS:

Stand an ear of corn inside a large bowl, and using a small knife, remove the kernels, being sure not to cut into the cob. When all the corn has been scraped off, scrape the cob with the back of a knife, break the cob in half, and place in a large pot. Repeat with the remaining corn.

Pour the cream into the pot. It probably won't cover all the cobs. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, taking care not to let the cream boil over. Stir and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the cream starts to thicken. Using tongs, remove the cobs.

Add the corn and the jalapeno to the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The corn should be tender. Add the thyme, stir in the butter and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Posted by Debi

Summer Berry Crepes

2010-07-23T05:40:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe posted on another Food blog, What's On My Plate.

I got this crepe batter recipe off of Alton Brown's "Good Eats" and have loved it ever since. There are so many fun fillings and flavors you can combine with the crepes which make this recipe great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert =) I will say, "practice makes perfect". I had to ruin a few crepes before I figured out how to make them just right, so don't give up if you don't get it your first try. The more I make them, the easier it gets.
Also, I would suggest using a large saucepan so you have plenty of area around the outside of the crepe to work with. When I first starting makes crepes, I was using a small 12" saucepan with high sides, and trying the get a spatula underneath the crepe, and then attempt flipping it without tearing it, was nearly impossible unless I had the batter cooked just right. So start off with a bigger pan - you'll thank yourself in the long run.

Summer Berry Crepes

*Crepe batter - Sweet Variation (recipe below)
Butter to coat pan
1 lb. strawberries, sliced
6 oz. blueberries
3 bananas, sliced
2 cups vanilla yogurt
2 cups granola
ground cinnamon

For an even more decadent crepe add:
2 cups chopped pecans
maple syrup (drizzled over top finished crepe just before serving)

Directions
Once you've made your fresh crepes, begin layering: 3-4 Tbsp of yogurt, fresh fruit, granola & then sprinkle cinnamon in the center of each crepe. Gently fold over each side so that they overlap in the middle. Top off Crepe with more fresh fruit or drizzle lightly with more whipped yogurt and granola.

Crepes - Alton Brown

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan (**I prefer a large one - Jamie) . Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

*Savory Variation Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to the egg mixture.

*Sweet Variation Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to the egg mixture.

Posted by Debi

Sweet Corn Salsa

2010-06-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Southern Living's 1995 cookbook - one of my favorite editions. It includes all the best tastes of summer and is wonderful served with grilled meats or cold salads.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh whole kernel sweet corn (I use the bi-color), scraped off the cob.
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped purple onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 (4-1/2 oz.) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients, and toss gently. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Yield: 5 cups

Posted by Debi

Chocolate Babka

2010-04-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

I would call this a chocolate cinnamon roll. Delicious, easy and makes a good amount. I did a different variation of the streusel topping. From the reviews of this particular recipe everyone complained that the topping didn't stay on the dough. So I did it different and it turned out great! Definitely worth trying. I also did my dough in my bread machine on the dough setting. Took 1 1/2 hours and it came out perfect.

Chocolate Babka

Prep Time: 2 Hours 35 Minutes

Cook Time: 25 Minutes Ready In: 3 Hours

Servings: 10

"These babka rings are made from a rich yeast dough spread with a chocolate and

cinnamon filling. The loaves are rolled up, finished with a sweet streusel topping, and

baked."

INGREDIENTS:

BABKA DOUGH

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

2 cups bread flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon salt

CHOCOLATE FILLING

5 (1 ounce) squares semisweet

chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter, chilled

STREUSEL

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, chilled

1 egg beaten with

1 tablespoon water for glaze (optional)

**MY TOPPING**

2 tablespoons of milk

2 tablespoons of melted butter

1/4 c. sugar

I brushed on milk, the sprinkled with sugar, brushed on butter and sprinkled with remaining sugar.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Warm the milk and melt 1/4 cup butter in a glass or ceramic bowl in the microwave

for 30 seconds, or on the stovetop in a saucepan. Combine the bread flour, 2 cups

all-purpose flour, yeast, and 1/4 cup sugar. Add the water, the milk-butter mixture,

the egg, and the salt to the dry ingredients and mix well.

2. Use the dough hook in a stand mixer on low speed or knead the dough by hand

until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. If the dough is too wet,

add more bread flour, about 2 tablespoonfuls at a time (up to 8 tablespoons) to

make a workable dough; too much flour can make the dough dry. Cover the dough

with a damp cloth and let rise until double in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

3. Make the chocolate filling and the streusel while the dough is rising. For the filling,

stir together the finely chopped chocolate, the cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar. Cut in

1/4 cup chilled butter with a fork. To make the streusel, combine the confectioners'

sugar and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; cut in 1/4 cup chilled butter until the mixture

resembles coarse crumbs.

4. When the dough has doubled, punch the dough down and cut it into two equal

pieces. Loosely shape each piece into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth

and let it rest for 10 minutes.

5. Roll out one portion on a lightly floured surface to form a 15x4-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle with half the chocolate filling, roll up to form a long log, and seal the seam.

Attach the ends to form a circle and place the ring, seam-side down, on a

parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Use a

serrated knife or kitchen shears to cut slits at 1-inch intervals around the rings.

Cover the rings with damp kitchen towels and let rise until doubled in size, about 30

minutes.

6. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

7. Brush the loaves with the egg wash, if desired. Sprinkle streusel on top. Bake the

loaves for about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets to promote even browning,

until the bread is a deep golden brown.

**CAUTION** Do not unless you REALLY want to ruin how awesome these taste!

Nutrition

Information

Servings Per Recipe: 10

Calories: 477

Amount Per Serving

Total Fat: 20.4g

Cholesterol: 80mg

Sodium: 296mg

Amount Per Serving

Total Carbs: 65.5g

Dietary Fiber: 2.8g

Protein: 9.5g

Posted By : Tracy

Strawberry Margarita Pie (non-alcoholic)

2010-04-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, it was good. Not really a strawberry margarita taste, but kind of. I didn't want to use alcohol because my kids wanted to eat it. Maybe next time we will do a grown up one and see if it tastes more like the drink.

Your favorite pie crust - baked and cooled.

1 1/4 qt. strawberries, sliced and divided.

3 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. margarita mix

Splash of orange juice

1/4 t. vanilla

Put a layer of fresh sliced strawberries on the bottom of the pie. Mash 1 qt. of strawberries and cook with sugar, cornstarch, margarita mix and orange juice. Stir constantly until the liquid turns clear. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir. Pour over fresh strawberries in pie crust and chill overnight or in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Top with whip cream if desired.

Posted by: Tracy

Banana Date Bread

2010-04-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe was taken from the Kellogg's All-Bran website. I added 3 T. of ground flax seed with the cereal and banana mixture. I also needed to cooked it 1hr 15min - with the last 15min. on a speed bake (if your oven has that setting). Came out super moist and delicious.

Banana Date Bread

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients

2	cups all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon baking powder
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon salt
3/4	cup chopped, pitted dates
1/3	cup boiling water
1 1/2	cups *All-Bran®* Original
	or 1 1/2 cups *All-Bran® Bran Buds®*
1 1/2 cups	mashed, fully ripe bananas
1/2 cup	margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup	sugar
2	eggs
1/2 cup	coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Directions
1. Stir together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.

2. In medium mixing bowl, stir together dates and water. Cover, let stand 10 minutes. Add KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal and bananas. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens.

3. Meanwhile, in large mixing bowl, beat margarine and sugar until well combined. Add eggs. Beat well. Mix in cereal mixture. Stir in flour mixture and nuts. Spread batter evenly in 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 350° F about 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. For easier slicing, wrap tightly and store overnight in refrigerator.

Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices

posted by: Tracy

Making Strawberry Jam

2010-04-16T11:49:00.001-07:00

3 Cups of crushed strawberries

4 1/2 Cups of sugar

1/2 Squeezed fresh lemon

Wash strawberries...

Great for composting...

Sliced and ready to be turned into jam.

*photo missing* take the bottom of a cup and mash the strawberries, measure 3 cups of mashed strawberries and add all ingredients to a bread machine. Select "jam" cycle (mine was 13).

Boil jars and lids to sterilize...

It takes 10-15 minutes...

This is what it looked like after 1 hr 15 min in the bread machine

Carefully pour hot jam into the hot jar.

Put lids on immediately to seal

Jam is ready!

Crustless Quiche

2010-04-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe my cousin made up that requires no crust, which cuts down greatly on the calories usually associated with this dish. And it tastes amazing!!! It's one of our family's favorite recipes!

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. mild sausage
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. chopped onion
4 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 c. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4. c. Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Brown sausage; drain well. Spray 9 or 10 inch pie dish with Pam. In blender, process until smooth the milk, sour cream, flour, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Combine milk mixture, drained sausage, green peppers, onions and grated cheese in mixing bowl. Pour into prepared pie dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Posted by Debi

Ropa Vieja

2010-04-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Recipezaar. It is my first attempt to make it, but it was easy and amazing! This is the note the contributor posted with the recipe:

I found this recipe in our local newspaper. It is an easy crock pot version the Cuban Ropa Vieja which requires several hours of simmering on the stove top. This dish is essentially a stew and will be wonderful served with a side salad, corn muffins or tortillas and rice. NOTE: Sirloin steak or chuck roast can be used instead of the skirt or flank steak called for in the ingredients list. the exact seasonings for the canned diced tomatoes doesn't matter as long as you choose a type that includes garlic. Petite diced tomatoes and no-salt added varieties also work.

Ingredients

* 8 ounces tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 3 bay leaves
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons garlic, minced (bottled)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 large onion (for about 1 cup slices)
* 2 lbs skirt steaks (or flank)
* 1 red bell pepper (for about 1 cup pieces)
* 1 green bell pepper (for about 1 cup pieces)
* 14 1/2 ounces garlic balsamic & olive oil diced tomatoes
* 2 cups cooked rice (for serving)

Directions:

1. Put the tomato sauce, water, bay leaves, vinegar, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper into the crock pot. Stir to combine.
2. Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Thinly slice the onion quarters, and add them to the crock pot.
3. Place the beef over the onions, and spoon some of the liquid over the meat. (If ou are using skirt steak or flank steak, there will be several thin pieces, and they will overlap in the pot.).
4. Rinse bell peppers and discard the seeds and membranes.
5. Cut the peppers into quarters, thinly slice them, and add the pieces to the crock pot.
6. Pour the diced tomatoes with their juice evenly on top.
7. Cover the pot and cook on low until the meat is so tender that it practically falls apart, about 8 hours if using skirt or flank steak or 10 hours if using sirloin or chuck.
8. About 20 minutes before serving, cook the rice.
9. Before serving, removed the beef and vegetables from the crock pot to a large serving bowl.
10. Use two forks to pull the beef into shreds. There should be some cooking juices in the bowl, but if not, add about 1/2 cup juices.
11. Stir to mix the beef and vegetables.
12. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
13. Serve all but two cups of the beef vegetable mixture over hot rice.
14. Refrigerate leftovers, skim off fat and store in the refrigerator for up to to 3 days or a month in the freezer. Use the leftovers in a beefy tortilla soup.

NOTE: I served this with yellow rice and black beans, instead of white rice. I think it added a lot of flavor to the dish.

Posted by Debi

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

2010-03-24T18:16:00.001-07:00

Salad:

2 lb Fresh spinach - lightly chopped

1 pint Strawberries - sliced

Optional:

1 Lg Cucumber - peeled and sliced

1 Lg Tomato - sliced

Crushed Almonds or Walnuts

Crumbled feta or mozzarella cheese

Crumbled cooked bacon

Dressing:

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 t. kosher salt

1 T. cider vinegar

1 T. vegetable oil

2 T. balsamic vinegar

The nice thing about this salad is you can put whatever you want in it. It would be fabulous with just the spinach and strawberries - anything extra is... well... just extra! Shake all the dressing ingredients well and lightly drizzle over salad. Enjoy!

Recipe By: Tracy

Homemade Hamburger & Hotdog Buns

2010-03-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

Homemade Hamburger Buns (Bread Machine) Recipe #80413

You will never want to buy hamburger buns again after trying this recipe. Easy to do using a bread machine and so awesome! You can also top rolls with sesame seeds after brushing with melted butter.

by Marie

19 min | 10 min prep

SERVES 12

1 1/4 cups milk, slightly warmed
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in pan of bread machine according to manufacturer's directions.
Select dough setting.
When cycle is complete, turn out onto floured surface.
Cut dough in half and roll each half out to a 1" thick circle.
Cut each half into six 3 1/2" rounds with inverted glass as a cutter.
Place on greased baking sheet far apart and brush with melted butter.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour.
Bake at 350° for 9 minutes.
Note: Oven temperatures vary so check after 9 minutes to see if done. Some reviewers baked these anywhere from 12 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (75g) Recipe makes 12 servings
Calories 198
Calories from Fat 32		(16%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 3.7g	5%
	Saturated Fat 2.0g	9%
	Monounsaturated Fat 1.0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 26mg		8%
Sodium 178mg		7%
Potassium 94mg		2%
Total Carbohydrate 35.3g		11%
	Dietary Fiber 1.1g	4%
	Sugars 4.3g
Protein 5.6g		11%
Vitamin A 114mcg		2%
Vitamin B6 0.0mg		2%
Vitamin B12 0.1mcg		2%
Vitamin C 0mg		0%
Vitamin E 0mcg		0%
Calcium 39mg		3%
Iron 1mg		10%

posted by:tracy

The Lady's Coleslaw

2010-03-21T19:07:00.001-07:00

The Lady's Coleslaw

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time:: 30 min
Inactive Prep Time:: 1 hr 0 min
Cook Time:: --

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 large carrot, chopped
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cabbage head
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt (recommended: Jane's Krazy Mixed-up salt)
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions

Using a food processor, gently process the bell pepper, onion, carrot, and parsley, being careful not to over process. Cut 1/2 of the cabbage into chunks and place in the food processor and process lightly, making sure the cabbage doesn't become mushy. Slice the remaining cabbage thinly. Mix the cabbage together with the processed vegetables. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together and allow to stand for a few minutes. Combine the mayonnaise mixture with the vegetables and toss. Chill for 1 hour.

posted by: tracy

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-18T13:11:00.001-07:00

Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 15 min | Cooking - 9 min | Cooling Time - 15 min cooling | Yields - 60

This famous classic American cookie is a treat no matter what the age or occasion. Enjoy it with a glass of cold milk.

Source:

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Posted by: Tracy

Irish Soda Bread

2010-03-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is perfect with a steaming hot bowl of Irish Stew. Perfect for celebrating St. Patrick's Day at home! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

6 c. all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1.5 t. baking soda
2 t. salt
4 t. sugar
2.5 cups buttermilk
2 T. butter
1/2 c. raisins (optional) I don't add these!

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in large bowl.
Combine buttermilk, butter, and raisins, if using. Add to flour mixture.
Turn dough on well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place on greased baking sheet. Press dough evenly into a 1 1/2" thick circle.
Bake at 325 for one hour or until bread sounds hollow when thumped.

Posted by Debi Walter

Irish Stew

2010-03-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe was given to me by a good Irish friend of mine. It has become a favorite in our family!

INGREDIENTS:

2 - 3 lamb chops
1 lb. boneless, sirloin steak, cubed
1 T. oil
1 lb. onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pt. Guinness Beer
4 bay leaves
1 10.5 oz. condensed beef broth
2 c. water
3/4 lb. carrots and new potatoes, sliced and cubed
2 - 3 t. dried tarragon
3 T. flour
1/4 c. water
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Brown all sides of beef and lamb in oil.
Add onion and next 7 ingredients including bones from lamb chops.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove bones. Add carrots, potatoes, tarragon.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Remove and discard bay leaves.
Combine: Flour, 1/4 c. water and stir until smooth.
Slowly add flour mixture to stew.
Stir until thick.

Serve with generous servings of Irish Soda Bread.

Posted by Debi Walter

Lambert's Cafe "Throwed Rolls"

2010-03-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

Lambert's Cafe "Throwed Rolls"

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 package dry active yeast

1/4 cup tepid water ( 105 to 110 degrees F)

1 cup warm milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg beaten ( at room temperature)

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine the 1 teaspoon of sugar and yeast in tepid water. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes until yeast begins to foam. Thoroughly mix milk, butter, sugar, egg and salt in large bowl.

Stir in the yeast mixture and 3 1/2 cups of the flour, adding a bit more if necessary to make a soft pliable dough. Turn dough out on floured board and let rest while you clean and butter bowl. Knead dough gently, 4 to 5 minutes, adding flour if necessary, until dough is smooth and silky. Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size.

Butter a 12 cup muffin tin. Punch down dough. Pinch off pieces about 1 1/2 inches in diameter ( enough to fill 1/2 of muffin cup), and roll into smooth spheres. Place two such pieces in each prepared muffin cup. ( It should be a tight fit). Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown. Serve as soon as they are cool enough to throw.

Makes 12 rolls.

Corn Chowder

2010-03-03T21:28:00.000-08:00

This recipe I got from my husband's cousin. It is very yummy! (it's actually the Old Mill's recipe, in Pigeon Forge!)

1 T. margarine
3 c. diced onions
3/4 c. crumbs (from unsalted oyster crackers, which I have used the salted and you could use about any cracker)
1/4 c. flour
2 c. water
1 c. clam juice (never tried to make it without it, but I am sure you could use chicken broth in its place; you can find it though by the canned meat)
2 c. chicken, beef, or ham broth
3 c. diced potatoes
2 c. half and half
2 c. frozen corn, defrosted
1 red and 1 green bell pepper, chopped and sauteed briefly in butter, add salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Mix liquids and butter, add potatoes and onions, cook until done. Mix cracker crumbs, flour and seasonings. Add to potatoe mixture. Add red and green peppers, mix well, bring to a boil, add cream and corn, simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

2010-03-03T21:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

1.In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

2.Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3.Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving.

NOTE: I did not use pecans. I rolled it in cocoa powder then patted it around with my hands to cover it well.
SERVE WITH GRAHAM CRACKER STICKS OR TEDDY GRAHAMS!!! YUMMY!!!!!!!

Slow Cooker White Chocolate Bread Pudding

2010-03-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, I was at a friends house and she served this and it was delicious! Great for leftover French Bread!

6 cups French bread cubes
1 package (6 oz) white chocolate baking bar chopped (OR 1 cup vanilla baking chips)
1 cup fat-free egg product (OR 1 cup of eggs beaten)
3/4 c. warm water
1 t. vanilla
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)

1. Spray inside of 3-4 quart cooker with cooking spray. Place bread cubes in slow cooker. Sprinkle with baking chips.

2. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients; pour over bread cubes and baking chips.

3. Cover; cook on low heat setting 3 hours and 30 minutes to 4 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

**** My friend doubled this recipe and used her big 5 qt. crockpot and it was great!

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