US Senate Bean Soup

From the Joy of Cooking. 'This soup has been on the US Senate restaurant menu since 1901.'

Rinse & soak
1 1/4c small dried white beans, such as pea or navy

Drain and place in a soup pot along with:
7c cold water
1 small ham hock

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 1/4 hrs. Remove the ham hock. Discard the bone, skin, and fat; dice the meat. Return it to the pot along with:
1 large, diced onion
3 medium celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2t salt
1/2t ground black pepper

Simmer until the potatoes are quite soft, 20-30 min. Remove from the heat and mask with a potato masher until the soup is a bit creamy. Stir in:
2T chopped fresh parsley

Ladle into warmed bowls and serve! Makes about 6c.

Whole Wheat Bread Recipes?

I would really love to hear everyone's all-wheat bread recipes. Sidsie gave me her's which I will post here because she's too lazy to, but it will mess up all the Labels and sorting. Sorry.

Sidsie's Whole Wheat Bread
1/3 c oil
1/3 c honey or ½ c sugar
2 ¼ t salt
2 ¾ c steaming hot tap water
¼ c gluten flour
1 ¼ T instant yeast
7-8 c whole wheat flour

Mix together first four ingredients in mixer with a dough hook. Add ½ of flour and beat. Put in 1-2 more cups flour, gluten flour, and yeast. Beat again. With mixer on medium speed, add remaining flour just until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead 10 minutes on medium-high speed.

Pre-heat oven for 1 minute to Luke Warm and turn off. Spray or oil 2 pans. Pour dough out onto oiled counter, divide and shape into loaves and put into pans. Let loaves rise 35 minutes in warmed oven. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Tip out of pans and cool on cooling rack.

***I used 4c red wheat and 2c white wheat for my last batch, which turned out really well. The key is the 10 min of kneading. A lot, I know, but it makes loaves instead of bricks.

Salsa Lentils

I found this on the Publix website and have really enjoyed it. I've used it as a filler in Enchiladas and served it over tortilla chips as well.

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) bag dried lentils
6 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 (24-ounce) jar thick and chunky salsa
1 (4 1/2-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 (1 1/4-ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package fresh cilantro

Steps

1. Rinse and sort lentils. Place water and lentils in large saucepan; cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
2. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan; stir in onions and garlic. Cook 8–10 minutes, until onions and garlic begin to brown, stirring occasionally.
3. Drain lentils and return to saucepan. Stir onion mixture, salsa, green chiles and dry taco seasoning mix into lentils. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
4. Remove large stems from (rinsed) cilantro; coarsely chop, and then measure (1/3 cup). Stir into lentils; remove from heat and serve.

Bolognese Sauce

I found this one, like many others, in Real Simple magazine:

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 carrot, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds combined ground beef and pork, or meat-loaf mix
1 cup milk
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
6 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a large skillet, combine the onion, celery, carrot, and olive oil and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until it loses its pink color. Add the milk. Increase heat to high and cook until the milk has evaporated.
2. Transfer the mixture to 4- to 6-quart heavy casserole. Return the skillet to the heat and add the tomato paste; cook over low heat to reduce its bitterness, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the casserole, along with the tomatoes, salt, and nutmeg.
3. Cook the sauce over low heat, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours. Stir frequently.
4. I like to puree this one a bit to make it a smoother sauce. There is also a slow cooker version here.
   

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Easy and Yummy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

Quickie Green Chile Sauce
1 cup light gluten-free vegetable broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch dissolved in a little cold water (corn starch)
1 generous cup chopped roasted green chiles, hot or mild
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder, hot or mild, to taste

Enchilada Filling
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh lime juice from 1 big juicy lime
2 heaping cups cooked diced sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped roasted mild green chiles (roast under the broiler)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder mild or spicy
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Assembly
2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, as needed
8 white or yellow corn tortillas
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Choose a baking dish that would hold 8 rolled enchiladas. Make your Quickie Green Chile Sauce by combining the broth, dissolved arrowroot, green chiles, garlic and spices in a sauce pan and heating over medium-high heat. Bring to a high simmer. Simmer until thickened. Taste test and adjust seasonings. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the Enchilada Filling, using a mixing bowl, combine the drained black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat the beans and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the cooked sweet potatoes (I prick the potatoes with a fork, cover them with saran wrap and microwave them for 8-10 min) with the chopped green chiles; add the spices. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Quickie Green Chile Sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

To assemble the enchiladas, grab a skillet and heat a dash of oil. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften them, one at a time, as you stuff each one.

Lay the first hot tortilla in the sauced baking dish; wet it with the sauce. Spoon 1/8 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/8 of the black beans. Wrap and roll the tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. Top with a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the enchiladas are piping hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Those Darn Danishes

Kris asked for the recipe, and I told her how labor intesive it is (time intesive really more than labor), but she insisted, so here it is.

Danish Pastry Twists (stolen from The Pie and Pastry Bible)

Note. Does not work well with a Bosch mixer

Dough:
2/3 c. milk, divided
2 T. sugar, divided
1 ½ t. yeast
2 ¼ c. flour, divided
½ t. salt
1/8 t. freshly ground cardamom
1 large egg
17 T. unsalted butter (1 T. softened)

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
3 T. honey
preserves (you really want the sugar-added preserves; All Fruit just clumps)

chopped chocolate

Glaze:
¼ + 2 T. powdered sugar
1 T + ¼ t. water
1 ½ freshly squeezed lemon juice

Icing:
½ c. powdered sugar
1/8 t. vanilla
2 T. heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Proof the yeast in small bowl with 2 T of the milk (slightly warmed), ½ t. sugar, and the yeast. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes until bubbly and foamy.

In a heavy mixer, add all but 1 T. of the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, yeast mixture, and cardamom. Add the remaining milk, the egg, and the 1 T. of softened butter, and mix on a low speed until well combined (dough will be a little sticky and shiny). Put dough in an oiled bowl, turn over once to cover all over with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Gently deflate dough, recover with plastic, and refrigerate for 2-8 hours.

On a large sheet of plastic wrap, place the remaining 1 T. of flour. Mix in with the remaining butter (I use 2 cubes). Once flour is incorporated, shape butter into a 5 inch square.
Take dough out of fridge, roll out to an 8 inch square, put butter diagonally in the middle mark it, roll out the flaps a little more, moisten with water, and wrap the dough around the butter. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

Gently roll the dough into a 7 by 16 inch rectangle. Brush off all the flour from the surface of the dough and fold into thirds. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-40 minutes. This is the first “turn.” Do two more turns refrigerating the dough 20-40 minutes between each one. After all turns are done, allow dough to rest in refrigerator for 2 hours (or overnight).

Take dough out of fridge, allow to warm for 15 minutes before working with it so butter can soften a little and not break through the dough. Roll the dough to a 6 by 14 inch rectangle. Cut ½ -inch wide strips from the dough. Twist the dough and then coil it like a snail’s shell on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with a nonstick spray. Allow to rise for 1-2 hours. With your fingers press down the middle two inches of the twist. In the indention, spoon cream cheese mixture and/or preserves and/or chocolate.

Heat oven to 400. When you bake twists, immediately lower temperature to 375. Bake for 18-20 minutes, switching pans half-way through. (It is good to have a baking stone to help maintain the oven temperature in the oven. Another hint is to have an oven safe bowl with boiling water on the lower oven rack or to throw a handful of ice cubes on the bottom of the oven before shutting the oven door. Or you can just not do anything.)

When twists come out of the oven, brush with glaze. Remove to wire racks to cool. About 20-30 minutes after pastries come out of oven, drizzle with icing.

You can freeze these and reheat them for 5 minutes in a 300 degree oven, or for about 7 seconds on 1/2 power in the microwave.

Baked apple "donuts"

Don't let the name fool you, these are not good for you at all.

1 1/2 cup flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup grated apple
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted (do not use vegetable oil spread with less than 60% fat)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Grease muffin pans - do not use paper liners. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl or sifter. In a seperate medium bowl, mix beaten egg, milk and grated apple. Mix in, using low speed on mixer, shortening and sugar. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop into greased muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 20 min. Cool slightly and remove from pans. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the muffins in melted butter and then in the sugar mixture. Serve on a pretty plate. Makes 12-16 regular sized muffins.

FYI- I perfer using a silcone muffin pan so that I can pop them out from the bottom. They break easily while warm but you dont want them completely cooled before doing the butter/sugar step. Takes some trial and error. The crumbs that break off in the butter and sugar are the best part.

Ranch Dressing Mix

I'm not sure if this will interest anyone or not. Some of my sisters are trying to avoid msg in all its forms. It's in pretty much every store-bought salad dressing in some form or another. So I happened to see this recipe in an old ward cookbook and gave it a try. This functions the same as a ranch dressing mix packet you would buy at the grocery store. The recipe makes a lot of mix so if anyone wants to try some of mine you are welcome to. One thing I like about this is that when you combine the mix with buttermilk/mayonnoise or sourcream you can make as little or as much as you want. I pretty much always half it - which makes one cup of dressing/dip. I also have used buttermilk from the freezer in this recipe (I freeze leftover buttermilk in icecube trays since I don't use it all that much) and it was fine too.

Ranch Dressing Mix

15 saltine crackers
1 C dry minced parsley flakes
1/2 C dry minced onions
2 T dry dill
1/2 C onion salt
1/2 C garlic salt
1/4 C onion powder
1/4 C garlic powder

Put crackers into blender on high until finely powdered. Add parsley flakes, minced onion and dill. Blend until fine powder again. Dump into a bowl and mix remaining ingredients in with a whisk. Put in an airtight container and store at room temp. Makes 42 T. To use combine 1 T. mix with one cup of buttermilk and one cup of mayonnaise. For best flavor make the dressing at least a few hours ahead.

Double Tree Cookies

If you've never had a cookie from the Double Tree Hotel, you should go out and try one...or try this recipe, because they are delicious!

3 cubes unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 egg white
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 package mini morsels
1 cup chopped walnuts
3-3 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter, eggs and sugars until fluffy. Add lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and vanilla. Mix well. Mix in oats, mini morsels and walnuts. Add flour. Form into 1 inch balls with a cookie scoop and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes.

For official cookie info go here. For another knock-off recipe go here.

Herbed Rice

I think this recipe is worth posting. I stumbled onto this recipe from Ina Garten on the food network. It's simple and instead of just plain old rice you get something really good. Basically your just adding chopped herbs to your rice after you cook it - simple and yummy.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 cup uncooked long-grain (white) basmati rice (recommended: Texmati)
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh curly parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh scallions, white and green parts
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine the rice, 1 3/4 cups water, the salt, and butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to low, stir once, and simmer, covered tightly, for 15 minutes. (I need to pull the pot half off the burner to keep it from boiling over.) Turn off the heat and allow the rice to sit covered for 5 minutes. Add the parsley, dill, scallions, and pepper. Fluff with a fork, and serve warm.

The only thing I did different on this was that I used cilantro instead of dill (it's just what I had). It was really good. Also here's a link to the recipe.

Cinnamon Rolls III

per Cecily's request:

PREP TIME 2 Hrs
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 2 Hrs 20 Min
Original recipe yield 16 rolls

INGREDIENTS

* 1/4 cup warm water
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 1/2 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
* 1 cup warm milk
* 1 egg, room temperature (I actually never wait until the egg is room temp)
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups bread flour
* 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 cup chocolate chips

* 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

DIRECTIONS

1. In the pan of your bread machine, combine water, melted butter, vanilla pudding, warm milk, egg, 1 tablespoon sugar, salt, bread flour and yeast. Set machine to Dough cycle; press Start.
2. When Dough cycle has finished, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 17x10 inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over dough. Then sprinkle chocolate chips over sugar mixture.
3. Roll up dough, beginning with long side. Slice into 16 one inch slices and place in 9x13 buttered pan. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. While rolls bake, stir together cream cheese, softened butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk. Remove rolls from oven and top with frosting.

I know this is a bread machine recipe, but I am sure you could convert it to hand mixing easily. If not, the first review on the site explains.

Italian Vegetable Soup

I found this one on a blog (orangette) and really liked it:

Fretwell (Italian Vegetable) Soup

This soup recipe comes from the Fretwell family, longtime friends in Oklahoma, and they in turn discovered it somewhere in Italy. I have only a blurry Xeroxed copy of the recipe (which the Fretwells had faxed to them from wherever they first ate it), and so I thus cannot give credit here to its original author. That’s a true shame, because this is one of the most delicious vegetable soups I’ve ever tasted. The Fretwells brought us many meals while my father was ill, and this was one we requested repeatedly. But consider yourself warned: this recipe makes a veritable cauldron of soup. If you don’t have a stockpot that can hold twelve quarts or so, do this in two batches, or halve the recipe.


1 ½ lbs. dried cannellini or Great Northern beans
Olive oil
Salt
2 or 3 fresh sage leaves
1 or 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
2 or 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
8 medium carrots, sliced into ¼-inch coins
5 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch crescents
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-circles
1 bunch red Swiss chard, washed, dried, and sliced
½ head green cabbage, cored and chopped roughly
1 quart vegetable broth (I used Imagine brand)
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, juices reserved and tomatoes chopped roughly


Soak the beans overnight. The next day, drain them, put them into a large pot, add water to cover by 2 inches, and cook, with sage and garlic, for about one hour. As the beans cook, skim off any white foam that rises to the surface, and halfway through their cooking time, add ½ Tbs salt.

Heat 2 or 3 Tbs olive oil in a large soup pot, add onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, salting lightly, and adding more oil if necessary. Add the zucchini and the vegetable broth, cover, and bring mixture to a simmer. Then add Swiss chard, cabbage, tomatoes, and tomato juices. Cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for half an hour or so. Add the beans and their cooking water, salt to taste, and simmer, covered, over low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve over slices of day-old crusty bread, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Serves scads—but scads!—of people.

My Neighbor's Rolls

My sweet neighbor, Maria Elena, came to my house the other day to teach me how to make these yummy rolls. I thought I would share the recipe.

2 cups water
2 eggs
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 stick of butter, melted
7 cups flour (HTML is her favorite)
1/8 c. saf instant yeast

Heat water in microwave for 1 minute. Put in blender and add eggs. Mix well. Add sugar, salt and mix. Add butter, 5 cups flour and yeast. Mix well, then add approximately 2 more cups flour (until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl) Let Rise in the mixing bowl, covered with a towel, until it reaches top of bowl.
Shape into rolls and place in a greased 9x13 pan. Let rise until rolls reach the top of pan.
Bake at 300-325 for 20-30 minutes until tops and bottoms are golden brown.
Enjoy!

Ice Cream Syrup (aka: buttermilk syrup)

This is a breakfast syrup, one you would use on pancakes or waffles. I realize the name might be confusing. We call it Ice Cream syrup because the boys think it tastes like ice cream. Yummy, right? It is now the syrup of choice for breakfast around here.

Ingredients:
1 C sugar
½ C butter
½ C buttermilk (or sour milk - 1/2 C milk + 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice, let sit for 5 min.)
½ tsp. baking soda

Combine into a large saucepan.
Cook until sugar melts and is caramelized in color.
Remove from heat.
Add ½ tsp. vanilla.

Macaroons

Cecily was nice enough to say she loved my macaroons, even though I've only made them once (maybe twice?) in my life and I thought they were not that impressive. But, here's my recipe from the Joy of Cooking for all you Samoa lovers who can't afford to subsidize Girl Scout programs in order to sate your sweet tooth (like us- we ration them amongst the adults). Another good chocolate-coconut-sweetened condensed milk cookie is my mom's Ooey Gooey Cookies Recipe.

Coconut Macaroons

Stir together:
2/3c sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1.5t vanilla
1/8 t salt

Stir in:
3.5c flaked or shredded sweetened coconut

Drop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or well greased foil spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are nicely browned (it suggests in the top 3rd of the oven), 20-25 min at 325. Remove and let stand until cool. Carefully peel the cookies off the paper or foil.
Then I like to drizzle them with melted chocolate.

So now I have a question for you. What do you do with the leftover sweetened condensed milk?

Fabulous Homemade Wheat bread

Stephanie - I saw you started a post and never published it. I thought I would post this in case you were still looking.

This isn't 100% whole wheat but close enough. And we do think it is yummy. The original is done the old fashion way. I, of course, converted it to a bread machine. (I have no confidence doing bread by hand) Anyway, like usual I do the dough in the machine and then let it rise in a bread pan and bake it in the oven. The original recipe makes 6 loaves but I scaled it down to fit into my machine. This makes 2 big loaves or 3 smaller loaves.

2 1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup veg. oil
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup white flour
5 cups wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast (you might want to experiment with that, depending on personal taste)

Put wet than dry ingredients in the bread machine. Set to dough cycle. Punch down, remove, shape according to desire and let rise. Bake at 350 for 35 min or so. Watch the top of the bread so it doesn't get too brown.

Oh, one other note. I have added wheat germ and flax seed to this without it changing the taste. Not too much, maybe about 3 Tbsp. It is worth experimenting to find your own personal taste.

Exquisite Pizza Sauce

We make homemade pizza fairly often in our house. This is our absolute favorite sauce and really ups the yummy of the pizza. Chaz finds it is a bit spicy but Brian and I love the kick so every other batch I leave out the cayenne pepper and pepper flakes. I can get at least two pizzas out of a batch. So I just freeze the leftovers and thaw them in the microwave when I need them.

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
6 fluid oz warm water
3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (I have left this out with no problems but we prefer it in there)
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp honey
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Mix everything together in a small bowl, breaking up any clumps.

Let sit for at least 30 mins, then spread over dough and prepare pizza as desired.

Request: hot chocolate mix

In an effort to save money and satisfy cravings, I want to make hot chocolate mix at home. I have tried several and will admit that they are seldom up to snuff. But I was hoping someone(s) here has one they make over and over again for me to try. Please and thank you.

Southwestern Beef Chili with Corn

I made this the other day and it turned out really well. My sister makes this all the time too and she has made a few additions that are great. She serves it with sides of cheese, tomatoes, diced green onions, leaves of cilantro, sour cream and diced avocados. She also makes a side of quesadillas, and it is a yummy meal.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed)
1/2 cup grated Cheddar (2 ounces)
2 scallions, sliced

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and poblano and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute. Add the beans, chili powder, 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the corn. Divide among bowls and top with the Cheddar and scallions.

Make Ahead: You can cook the chili in advance and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 343; FAT 15g (sat 5g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34g; SODIUM 893mg; PROTEIN 23g; FIBER 11g; SUGAR 6g

Bean and Corn Salsa

Suzy requested this one so here it is. This is the version of bean and corn salsa that I like the most. You can eat it like a salsa with tortilla chips or like a salad.

Mix:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. ground cumin
juice of one lime (I like to do the zest too)

Combine:
1 can of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
1 cup chopped red onion
2 roma tomatoes, diced (or 1/2 red pepper, whichever you prefer or both)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Add the dressing to the bean/corn mixture and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand for one hour and up to 4 hours.

Pizza di Spaghetti

All right, girls, I've been holding out on you. THIS is an amazing recipe--the best thing you could do with leftover spaghetti. In fact, I don't even wait to have leftover spaghetti--I make spaghetti just so I can do this with it!

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnishing
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups leftover spaghetti with olives and tomato sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Add leftover spaghetti and combine well.
In a large 10-inch non-stick skillet, heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add spaghetti and egg mixture, spreading evenly and pressing down in pan. Cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Carefully invert onto plate, add a little more oil to the pan, and slide mixure back into skillet and cook the other side for 6 minutes. Turn out onto serving platter and cut into wedges and serve warm.

I usually make two of these "spaghetti pizzas" to feed our family. Here's a link to the original recipe and a picture.

Maple-Glazed Parsnips and Carrots

Last Christmas my sister cooked a traditional Christmas dinner for the family. This was one of the dishes she made. I LOVED it and my boys will even eat parsnips cooked this way. It's a Martha Stewart recipe that is surprisingly easy and doesn't include a bunch of ingredients I can hardly pronounce much less find at the grocery store. I hope you like it as much as we have.

1 1/4 lbs. parsnips (about 6), peeled and quartered lengthwise
3/4 lb. thin carrots (about 12), peeled and halved lengthwise
4 slices bacon, each cut into 4 pieces
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 c. pure maple syrup (this makes the dish)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450. Place parsnips, carrots, bacon and thyme in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with syrup; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine. Bake until bottoms of veggies begin to caramelize and turn dark brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and toss vegetables carefully. Return to oven and bake until all sides are well browned, about 25 minutes more.

Discard bacon and thyme. Serve immediately.

Ham and Potato Soup

Although I am not a ham eater, my family loves this soup. I add whatever vegetables I have in the freezer or fridge. I also rarely stick to a recipe especially when adding vegetables. I am giving you the original recipe, but eyeballing works wonders for me.

3 1/2 c. potatoes, peeled and diced
1/3 c. celery, diced
1/3 c. carrots, sliced
1/3 c. corn
1/3 c. onion, finely chopped
3/4 c. cooked ham, diced
3 1/4 c. broth
salt and pepper to taste
5 Tbl. butter
5 Tbl. flour
2 c. milk

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

Dinosaur Nests (No Bake Cookies)

We were talking about dinosaurs today at preschool and I let the kids make 'nests' that we filled with 'eggs'. It was a fun simple project that I thought I would share with you.

4 oz. butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar (1 1/2 c. should be plenty)
1 c. chocolate chips
3-4 Tbl. peanut butter
3 c. oats, quick or regular
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the margarine, milk, sugar, PB and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Place the oats and chocolate chips in a bowl. Pour the hot syrup over the dry and mix well. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper or into bowls. Allow to cool before shaping into nests. Top with jelly beans.

Heavenly Chicken Divine

One of our new favorites. We fight over the leftovers. From my sister in law's Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook. Several of her best recipes are from this, I might have to peruse it more carefully.

Have ready:
4c broccoli steamed
4c cooked penne pasta (3c dried, 1 box, my SIL raves about Ezekiel 4:9 Organic Sprouted Grain Pasta, available at Kroger or Amazon)
2c shredded roast chicken (or cubed breasts, whatever)
2c (4oz) shredded smoked Gouda or Edam (don't skimp on cheese, it really defines the dish. I prefer Edam)

Heat 2t olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add:
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4t dried thyme
1/4t salt
1/8t pepper
Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 5 min. Remove from heat and stir in:
1 jar (16oz) Alfredo sauce (I make my own, more is better)
1/2c grated smoked Gouda or Edam cheese (I like Edam)
1/2-1c milk
1/2c of the pasta water
1/8t nutmeg
Then stir in the cooked pasta, steamed broccoli, 2c shredded roast chicken and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a 9x13 pan and top with another 1.5c of Gouda or Edam cheese and 1/4c Italian breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with some paprika and cover with foil. Bake for 30 min at 375. Uncover and bake another 10-15 min, or until golden brown.

The recipe freezes well, except for the broccoli. My SIL serves the broccoli separate, since it gets mushy in leftovers. You can also make the dish the day before and keep refridgerated for 24 hrs.

Squash Recipes

Cecily requested some of my favorite squash recipes, so here they are!

Baked Acorn Squash with Pear and Apple
Good enough for dessert. From The Joy of Cooking.

Bake 2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded, cut side down in a pan with 1/4 inch water at 325 for 45 min. Meanwhile, mix in a bowl:
2 large apples, peeled, cored, & diced
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, & diced
1/4c dried currants or raisins
2T brown sugar
zest of 1 small orange (I always leave this out because I never have it)
1/4t cinnamon
1/8t nutmeg (I approximate on the spices, a dash of this, a shake of that)

Melt 2T butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add apple mixture and cook until fruit is golden brown, about 5 min. Stir in 1/4c apple cider or orange juice (I usually use OJ). Simmer, stirring often, until fruit is tender, about 8 min.
Remove squash from oven, pour off water in pan. Turn squash face up and fill with apple mixture. Return to oven and bake until squash is tender, about 15 min more.

Baked Butternut Squash stuffed with Sausage and Apples
Also from The Joy of Cooking.

Halve lengthwise and remove seeds and strings from 2 butternut squash. Arrange cut side up in a baking dish and brush lightly with 1T olive oil. Cover with lid or foil and bake until almost tender, 30-40min at 375.
Meanwhile, crumble 1c bulk sausage into a skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Without draining off the fat, add 1 large, tart green apple, peeled cored, & cubed. Cook stirring, for several minutes just until crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
When the squash is cooked, let it cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh leaving 3/8in thick shells (careful not to put your scooping spoon through the skin). Lightly mix the squash into the sausage, breaking it up as little as possible.
Mix in:
2T soft butter
1T brown sugar
1/4t ground sage
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pile the stuffing into the squash halves. Dot with 1T butter and 1T brown sugar. Bake, uncovered, until piping hot and brown and crusty on top, 20-25 min. Let cool a bit before serving.
**I usually use only 1/2 pckg of sausage and piling it into the squash halves is great for presentation, but is just baked in a corning ware dish, though it can get drier that way.

Penne with Garlicky Butternut Squash
From the Food Network website, courtesy of Jeanne Lemlin.

Cook 1lb penne pasta in stockpot. Drain thoroughly in a colander.

Heat 1/4c olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Toss in 4c diced butternut squash (from a 1.5lb squash). Saute 5 min, or until it begins to golden. Sprinkle in 4 large garlic cloves, minced (I probably only use 2) and saute 2 min.
Pour in:
1/4c water
1/4t nutmeg
6 sage leaves minced or 1/4t powdered sage
1/4c minced fresh parsley (I always just shake in however much dried parsley I want)
1/2t salt
pepper to taste

Cover the pan. Cook the squash until tender, about 5 min more. Mix penne and squash and toss gently. Sprinkle Parmesan and pass more at the table.

Curried Vegetables with Ziti

3 c. ziti pasta (8 oz)
1 T olive oil
1 med onion, cut into thin strips
1 clove minced garlic
2 t. curry pwdr
1 t. grated ginger root
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. apple juice, divided
1 T soy sauce
1 med carrot, cut into 1/2" slices
1 T cornstarch
2 c. cauliflowerets
1 c. froz peas, rinsed to separate
1/2 c. raisins (I used golden)
1 med. zucchini, cut into 1/2" slices
1 sm. red pepper, cut into thin strips

Cook pasta according to box. Heat oil over med-high heat. Cook onion, garlic, curry, ginger in oil, stirring frequently until onion is crisp tender. Stir in water, 1/2 c. apple juice, soy sauce, carrot. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Mix cornstarch and 1/4 apple juice. Stir cornstarch mix and remainder of ingredients into carrot mix. Cover and simmer 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in pasta and serve.

Mama Heiss' Ooey Gooey Cookies

My favorite cookie growing up. Below are the amounts I have written down, but I always approximate and put on as many choc chips as I want!

Melt 1 stick margarine on cookie sheet with sides. Pour one box yellow cake mix over it.
Top with:
3c mini marshmallows
6oz choc chips
1.5c coconut flakes
1c chopped nuts (I never do this)
Then drizzle 1 can sweetened condensed milk over it all.
Bake at 350 for 25 min. Cut into squares while still warm.

Mama Heiss' Christmas Cider

Mix together in a large pot on the stove or crockpot:
1qt cranapple juice
2/3c sugar in 3c water (boil until dissolved)

Then steep:
9 whole cloves
1.5 sticks cinnamon

Let simmer 10-15 min, remove spices and stir in 6 oz frozen lemonade. Serve warm.

Mama Heiss' Amazing Mint Brownies

These brownies are one of my favorite holiday traditions. They freeze well and look so elegant. My mom sometimes dyes the icing green if she's feeling festive.
Brownies
Melt together 4 sq unsweetened chocolate and 2 sticks of margarine/ butter.
Add:
4 eggs
2c sugar
1-1.5c flour
1/4t salt
1-1.5t peppermint
Mix all, bake 350 for 25min, let cool completely. Then ice with:
Icing
Beat together:
1/2 softened margarine stick
2c powdered sugar
1t peppermint
2T milk
Then top with:
Chocolate glaze
2sq unsweetened chocolate
2T margarine/butter
Melt together and dribble over icing. Let cool completely to harden, or stick in the fridge for a few minutes.
Cut the brownies into sticks (about one inch by three inches) and serve slightly chilled (or else the chocolate will melt all over your fingers, your chin, etc.).

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut
into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup water
* 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 1/2 cups whole milk
* Pinch nutmeg
* 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
* 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water
into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the
squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly
and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti
cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with
more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add
the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to
a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until
the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in
the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add
the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in
the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to
taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees
F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of
the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on
the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce
over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40
minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the
lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top
is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes
before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to
cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food
processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release
one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat
explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times
then process on high speed until smooth.

Kneader's Double Chocolate Peppermint Brownie

I wish I could take credit for this, but thanks have to go to Kneaders in Utah. I found it at ABC 4.

Brownie
1 cup butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2 quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every 20 – 30 seconds until the chocolate is melted. Cool slightly.
Add sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well with a spatula.
Add the flour and stir to combine.
Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into a buttered 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Do not overcook. Cool.

Filling
½ cup softened butter, margarine, or shortening
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 drops mint flavoring or to taste
1 drop pink food coloring

In a small bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter and mint flavoring until smooth.
Add food coloring to make a light pink.
Spread evenly over cooled brownies and then chill.

Chocolate Ganache
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream
crushed peppermint (red and white)

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a small bowl.
Microwave on high for 1 minute stirring every 20 – 30 seconds until chocolate is melted. Do not over heat.
Immediately pour over the brownies.
Decorate with crushed peppermint.
Do not refrigerate. Mixture will set up on brownies in about 15 – 20 minutes.

Croxall's Mint Brownies

3 squares semisweet chocolate
2 C brown sugar
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C veg. oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Melt oil and chocolate together.
Add sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.
Stir in dry ingredients and vanilla.
Bake in a greased jelly roll pan at 350 for 20-25 min.
Cool completely.

1 C butter
2 Tbs milk
4 C powdered sugar
1 tsp. peppermint flavoring
green and/or red food coloring

Cream together.
May need additional milk to make spreading consistency.
Spread over cooled brownies.

4 Tbs. veg. oil (can use less, you just want to make it spread easily)
2 C chocolate chips

Heat together.
Spread over the frosting (carefully) while hot.
Cut into small bars.

Norwegian Cookies

1 1/3 cup sugar
18 Tbsp. margarine - softened (do not use butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup mini chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350.

Beat 1 1/3 cup sugar, margarine, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and chocolate chips.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Shape each part on a lightly floured surface into roll, 1 inch diameter and about 15 inches long.

Place rolls on ungreased cookie sheet (I put two rolls per cookie sheet); flatten slightly with fork to about 5/8 inch thickness.

Mix 3 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough.
Bake 13 -15 mins., until light brown edges.

WHILE WARM, cut diagonally into about 1 inch strips (I find a pizza cutter works best).

A Request for your Mint Brownie recipes, please.

I still have cookies on the brain...I have heard that both Kris and Cecily have mint brownie recipes that I must try, and if you have a favorite mint brownie recipe please add it as well. Maybe I'll make them all and find out which one is my favorite. :)

Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
sugar crystals for rolling the cookies
1 bag rolos

Preheat oven to 375. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Chill for about one hour. Make into 1 inch balls, place rolo inside each cookie and roll in sugar crystals. Bake for 10 minutes.

Just for Cecily: Grandma's (Lunch Lady) Peanut Butter Squares Recipe

I'm not sure if this is the recipe I tried a million years ago, but the one I made turned out really good and this looks very similar. The only thing I am confused on is the 16 ounces of confectioner's sugar for the frosting--in fl oz that would be two cups. Is this what the recipe means??



Ingredients :

Squares:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup uncooked quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon chunky peanut butter
2 heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter


Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk


Instructions :
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, mix the shortening, margarine, flour, brown sugar, oats, baking soda, salt, and peanut butters until well blended and crumbly. Press into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and leave the pan in the oven for 5 minutes longer. To prepare the frosting, combine the butter, vanilla, cocoa, and salt in a medium-size bowl. When smooth, alternately add the sugar and milk. If the frosting is too thin, add a bit more sugar. For thinner frosting, add more milk (just 1 tablespoon at a time). Stir until creamy. Frost the peanut butter squares while warm.

Fudgy Brownies

These are the best recipe I've ever had...

1 cup butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13" baking pan. In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Cool slightly
Add eggs, on at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add flour, vanilla and salt; stir in nuts. Pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack; cut into pieces. Makes about 2 dozen brownies.

Ham Bone Soup

Make this with your leftover Christmas ham. A wonderful Southern meal, the missionaries even asked for the recipe. All measurements are approximate.

In big pot saute
1 onion in oil
Add
20 oz can crushed tomato
2 cans water
ham bone and ham chunks (about 6 lbs?)
1 T black pepper
2T salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper-(more or less depending on how spicy you like it)

Boil on medium until ham has fallen off bone or about 45 min
Remove ham bone, take off ham, cut, put ham back into pot
Add vegetables

2 cups chopped carrots
4 peeled chopped potatoes
1 can drained corn

Boil 30 minutes longer
May need to add more water at some time
Serve with cornbread!!!!!

Black Bottom Chocolate Pie

Seems more complicated than it is. If I could get away with not sharing it, I would.



Chocolate Crumb Crust

* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
* 1 ounce bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I use chocolate chips)
* 30 chocolate wafer cookies

Spray 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish with nonstick spray. Stir butter and chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add chocolate mixture. Process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumb mixture into prepared pie dish. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.


Filling

* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
* Pinch of salt
* 6 large egg yolks
* 2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
* 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
* 6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I use chocolate chips)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Chocolate Crumb Crust


For Filling:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Whisk in egg yolks to form thick paste. Gradually whisk in milk, then cream. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in rum and vanilla. Cool 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Transfer filling to frozen crust. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Top with whipped cream and enjoy.

The Bod's Sweet Potato Souffle

Got this recipe from a friend whose mom is known as The Bod. You know it must be good.

2 C mashed sweet potato (about 4 med. sweet potatos)
½ C sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 C butter
½ tsp salt
½ C milk
splash vanilla

1. Steam sweet potatos (I have also boiled them in the past but they turn out runnier and not as nice)
2. Mix
3. Put in casserole dish
4. Add topping

TOPPING:
1 C brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1 C coconut
1 C nuts

5. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Chili Spaghetti

Chili spaghetti

1 small box spaghetti
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 can chili
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes (do not drain)
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp garlic powder

Cook spaghetti. Cook ground beef with onion & salt & pepper, drain. Return to large pan, add rest of ingredients and heat. Mix spaghetti and chili sauce together.
(One of Andy’s favorites and super easy.)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough (for bread maker)
Large - 2 pounds

Water, 80-90degrees: 1 1/3 cups
Honey or sugar: 1 teaspoon
Salt: 2 teaspoons
Extra virgin olive oil: 2 tablespoons
Bread flour: 3 1/4 cups
Whole wheat flour: 3/4 cups
Yeast, active dry, instant or bread machine: 2 1/4 teaspoons

Put the ingredients in the order listed into your bread maker. When it finished mixing, rising, etc...before it begins to "bake" the bread, pull it out and either chill in the fridge until you're ready to use it, or roll it out immediately for pizza. I usually roll the dough out and then toss just the crust in the oven for maybe 7-8 mins just long enough to make it crispier. Then top it with sauce and your favorite toppings. And throw it back in for about another 10-15 mins, or until crust is lightly brown and the cheese is melted. Bake @ 400 degrees.

Jean Ballou's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

My mother in law makes a killer pumpkin pie with a praline layer at the bottom. The girls at park day were salivating and I've been getting death threats if I don't share it. She doesn't say this below, but you have to be careful that the nuts aren't too big or they will float to the top.

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Pastry
1 & 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C shorting
4-5 T cold water (Frieda says milk)

Praline Layer
1/3 C ground or finely chopped pecans – packed
1/3 C brown sugar
2T soft butter

Filling
2 eggs
1 C pumpkin (canned or fresh cooked)
(to cook a fresh pumpkin – slice in 1/2, scoop out strings and seeds, place unside down on a cookie sheet, cook at 350 for about 60-75 minutes. Once cooled, put in food processor, freeze in 1 to 1 and 1/2 Cups)
2/3 C brown sugar
1T flour
1/4 tsp Clove
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1C Cream (light)

Make pastry: sift flour and salt, cut in shorting until size of peas. Add 1T water/milk at a time, form a ball, flatten on lightly floured surface, roll out and put in pie pan.

1. 9” unbaked pie shell
2. Pre heat over 400 degrees
3. Make praline layer, blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Press gently into bottom of shell
4. Make filling: In medium bowl, with rotary beater, beat eggs til foamy. Add remaining ingredients in order. Beat only until well mixed.
5. Pour into pie shell, bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in filling comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack. May be served with whipped cream

Molasses Cookies

One of my top three favorite cookie recipes. From my mom, of course.

Blend and cream:
1c sugar
3/4 c shortening
1/4 c molasses
1 egg

Add:
2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1t cinnamon
1t cloves
1t ginger
2t baking soda

Mix well. Form balls the size of a golf ball, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Flatten them slightly with your fingers. Bake 10 min at 350. Mmmmmm- autumn!

Herb Bread

Here's my yummy herb bread I served on Election Day. I got the recipe from a guy in my organ studio at Michigan.

Reconstitute 1c dried onion in 1-1.5c hot water

Mix in large bowl:
3.5 cups flour
3T sugar
1T salt
2T shortening
1.5 cup mozzarella cheese
2 pckg or 4.5t yeast
1/3 cup dill seeds

Add reconstituted onions and 2.5c warm water.
Stir in enough flour to make dough easy to handle (3-3.5 c more).
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface & knead 10 min. Place in greased bowl w/ greased side up. Cover and let rise 40-60 min or until double.
Grease bread pans or cake pan. Divide dough into 2 loaf pans or 2 mounds in cake pan. Let rise again.
Move rack to center of oven. Preheat to 425. Bake 25-30min. Allow to cool 10 min & brush with melted butter. Remove from pans, allow to cool before cutting.

*I substituted red wheat flour for the second half of the flour and there was no difference in the quality of the bread.
**This makes A LOT of bread. I baked one big mound on a cookie sheet and another big loaf in a loaf pan. I don't know how he got two mounds in a cake pan.


I added red wheat flour at this point

Bulgar Bread

I've been bragging about my new bread recipe for a little while. It is the only homemade bread I've made that Ryan will eagerly eat for regular sandwiches.

2/3 c. medium bulgar (aka cracked wheat)
1 1/3 c. apple juice
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 1/4 t. yeast
1 c. warm water
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. bread or all-purpose flour
1/4 oil
2-4 T. water
4 t. salt

1. Combine the bulgar and the apple juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bulgar is tender and the juice is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a mixer bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour and the yeast. Add the warm water and eggs.

3. If using a stand mixer, beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment for 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beater. Cover tightly with plastic wrap (I don't; I just use my Bosch cover or a towel) and let rise at room temperature until the sponge doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
If making the dough by hand, beat the egg mixture vigorously with a wooden until the dough is thick and ropey, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

4. If using a stand mixer, add the bulgar, bread flour, oil, 2 T. water, and the salt to the sponge. Attach the dough hook and knead on low speed about 8 minutes, until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is moist, elastic, and only slightly sticky. If the dough is too dry, knead in some or all of the remaining 2 T. water. If the dough is too wet, knead in a small amount of flour.
If making the dough by hand, add the bulgar, 2 c. of flour, oil, 4 T. water, and the salt to the sponge and beat with a wooden spoon to make a thick, moist dough. Sprinkle most of the remaining 1/2 c. flour on your work surface, scrape the dough onto it, and dust with the rest of the flour. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, folding it over itself and pushing it away from you in a rhythmic motion, until it is smooth, elastic, and only slightly sticky. Add a small amount of additional flour if necessary.

5. Lightly oil a 6-qt bowl, or coast with cooking spray. Scrape the dough into the bowl, turning to coat all over (I just leave it in the mixer bowl where I mixed it.) Pick up the dough and work between your hands to form a smooth ball. Return the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until almost tripled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (it will almost fill the bowl).

6. Butter or grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pans, or coat with cooking spray; set aside. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it gently to remove any air bubbles. Divide the dough in half, and shape each piece into a loaf. Place the loaves in the pans. Cover loosely with lightly oiled (or sprayed) plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until the centers have risen 1 1/2 to 2 inches above the rims of the pans, about 1 hour.

7. About 30 minutes before the loaves are ready to bake, adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 375.

8. Remove the plastic wrap from the loaves and place in the oven, leaving a few inches between the pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the loaves are well browned and sound hollow when you remove them from the pans and rap their bottoms; they will not rise much. Cool completely on wire rack (or towel), 3 to 4 hours, then wrap airtight. This bread freezes well for up to 3 weeks.

From Baking in America by Greg Patent, pp. 72–73.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I found this one on a blog, but it is from the Food Network. I have tried it a few times now and it is REALLY yummy. I just use a blender to puree the soup, and then I can make it as smooth or chunky as I like. We always have grilled cheese on the side, and it is perfect for a cold, rainy day.

• 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
  
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Grandma Sigurjonsson's Sugar Cookies

2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Cover and chill about one hour. Grease cookie sheets. Roll out chilled dough to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured board. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes (until lightly browned around the edges).

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

1 3/4 c flour
3 T sugar
2 1/2 t Baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/3 c butter
1 egg beaten
1/2 t almond extract
1/2 c whip cream
3/4 c frozen raspberries (or blueberries, blackberries)
3/4 c white baking chips

*In large bowl mix: sugar, flour, BP, salt
*cut in butter
*add berries and chips to dry ingredients
*mix egg, almond extract and whip cream in a small bowl add to dry ingredients
*mix til all is moistened
*pat into 8" circle on a greased cookie sheet or baking stone
*bake 18-23 min at 400. Cool til warm.

Raspberry Lemon Bars

2 c flour
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
3/4 butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c sugar
3 T flour
1 t finely shredded lemon peel
3/4 c lemon juice
1/4 cup half and half or cream
1 1/2 c fresh raspberries

line a 9x13 pa with foil, extending foil over ends of pan. Grease foil.

In a large bowl combine 2 c flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt.
Cut in butter til mix resembles coarse crumbs.
Press mix into bottom of pan and bake 350 18-20 min til edges are golden

Meanwhile, for filling, in a med. bowl stir together eggs, sugar, 3 T flour, lemon peel and juice and cream (half and half).
Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle raspberries over top.
Bake 20-25 min until center is set.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Grasp overhanging foil and lift out of pan. Cut into bars.

Ricotta Pizza Pie (quiche)

I tried two new "gourmet" recipes this week. Both were delicious and pretty easy! This one and the Butternut Squash Soup:

Ricotta Pizza Pie
For the crust:
3 c flour
1 T kosher salt
6 T olive oil
2 eggs, beaten and mixed w/ 6 T water

For the filling:
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. grated pecorino
1 lb. ricotta, excess liquid drained
1 c salami, cut in cubes
1 c shredded mozzarella
1/2 t. pepper
2 T chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400. Place flour, salt, olive oil in large bowl and work it with your hands until the oil is incorporated and mixture resembles crumbs. Add egg mixture and toss until dough comes together in dry mass. Knead until just smooth. Flatten dough into disc, set aside.
In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients except 1 T of eggs and 1 T pecorino. Line bottom and sides of 9 inch pie pan with 2/3 dough (rolled out 1/8 inch thick), allowing for 1 inch overhang. Scrape filling into the dish and top with remaining 1/3 dough (rolled out as well). Press edges together to seal, cut slits in top crust. Brush with reserved egg and sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake until the top has puffed out, 45 min to an hour more. Let cool 15 min before removing from dish.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds, prick hard side with fork randomly, set face down on cookie sheet and pour about 1/2 inch of water into the cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 min to an hour, will be soft when cooked. Let cool and scoop out flesh.
Melt 2 T butter in pot, cook 2 med diced onions until translucent. Add 3/4 t. white pepper and 1 1/2 t. salt, stir. Add 4 c chicken stock and squash mixture. Stir until heated through, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and puree. Add 1 c heavy cream and 1 c half and half. Warm. Serve with lime slices (use lime generously, mm!).
Makes 2 qts.

Perfectly Easy Dinner Rolls

If I were to name these rolls, I'd call them "Ohmigosh-I'm-In-Love Dinner Rolls." I made them for the first time tonight, and our family of five eaters ate 22 rolls! I'm totally sold. Here's the introduction from my recipe card: "This icebox dough requires no kneading and can be made up to 4 days ahead. Just take it out of the refrigerator, let rise and bake for perfect rolls every time."

Pasta Primavera

I tried this recipe out the other day. I didn't use the asparagus or the shrimp, but made it to go with spaghetti and meatballs. I actually made it in the crock pot. The magic little ingredient here is the salsa. I never would have thought of it, but both Nate and I loved it. It made it taste a bit more spicy, and very fresh. It was great.

1/2 16-ounce box ziti
1/2 bunch asparagus (about 12 spears), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 16-ounce tub mild fresh salsa
4 ounces soft goat cheese
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 16-ounce bag frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

Cook the pasta according to the label directions, adding the asparagus to the boiling water during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain. Meanwhile, heat the salsa in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until the tomatoes release their

juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese and sugar and heat until smooth. Add the shrimp and fold in gently until heated through, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss.

Choripan

Nate served in Argentina and today (to celebrate his birthday) we made these sandwiches. They are SUPER yummy. We made them open face, and liked them a lot. A choripán is a popular sandwich in Argentina and Latin American countries. The name comes from the combination of its ingredients: a grilled chorizo (sausage) and a crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 avocado, small dice
• 1/2 small red onion, small dice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and small diced
• 2 tablespoons parsley, minced
• 1/2 jalapeño, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 6 Italian sausages, no fennel (hot or sweet, as you prefer)
• 6 crusty rolls (ciabatta, Kaiser, Portuguese, etc.)

DIRECTIONS
Prepare the salsa for your choripan by mixing the avocado, onion, garlic, tomato, parsley, jalapeno, lime juice, olive oil, and seasoning. Place in refrigerator while you grill your sausages.

Grill your sausages on your grill, away from direct flame. Open the rolls just before your sausages are ready, and place on the grill to toast up.

When your sausages are ready, slice open lengthwise and lay flat on your open roll. Divide the avo-salsa among the rolls.



Chimichurri

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
8 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lemon wedge (juice of)
1 tablespoon diced red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Pulse parsley in processor to chop.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend.
3. Separate sauce into equal parts.
4. (Use half for basting or marinade).
5. (Use other half for table service).

Betty Crocker's Easy Garlic, Herb & Cheese Biscuits

A fast favorite at our house. I tried them once mixed with pesto, but not nearly as good.

2c Bisquick
2/3c milk
1/2 shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4t basil, oregano, parsley, or rosemary

Mix until soft dough forms, beat vigorously 30 sec. Drop dough on cookie sheet by 10 to 12 spoonfuls (I actually usually make 6 or 7 big ones). Bake 8-10 min at 450. Mix together 1/4c melted butter and 1/4t garlic powder then brush on warm biscuits. Serve immediately. Ahhhh....

Marietta's Colombian Rice

This is from a Colombian friend who served this at every meal (in Colombia, they serve rice with everything, even spaghetti. A meal is not complete without three carbs). I have never been able to achieve the same amazing results (fabulous flavor and a beautiful brown, delicious crust on the bottom), but am still trying because David thinks this is absolutely heavenly.

Chop 1/2 onion and 2 cloves garlic per cup of rice (long grain, white Mahatma is good). Saute in 2T olive oil until clear. Add rice and stir. Add 2c water, salt to taste, and 1t bouillion per cup of rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and let cook until dry (about 20 min?). Then turn off the heat and let it sit for a while(she swears this is the most important part).

Mexican Meat

This is from my mom. We buy lots of ground chuck when it goes on sale, cook it up like this then freeze it in sandwich baggies (1/2-1lb) for a quick, easy meal. Defrost and sprinkle on nachos with black beans and peppers, put in quesadillas with black beans and peppers (or refried beans, if that's your thing), or eat in tacos. I've put dried pantry ingredients below, you can, of course, substitute fresh.

Mexican Meat

In a large pan, per 1lb of ground beef, add:
2T onion flakes
1t salt
1t chili powder
1/2t cornstarch
1/2t crushed red pepper
1/2t cumin
1/4t oregano
1/8t garlic
1/2c water

Brown, mixing well, then drain fat.

Spectacular Sides

Sidsie and I were talking the other day about cooking the same old boring things. She mentioned that she wanted to spruce up her sides, instead of always serving just plain old steamed veggies. So, here are a few of my straight from the pantry, amazing side dishes. By the way, I hardly ever measure things (including time). So all of this is approximate (sorry, Bonnie).

Carrots
Steam cut up carrots until tender. Toss with honey. Serve warm.
OR
Toss with shelled pistachios (get them at the Farmer's market). No extra salt needed.

Green beans
Saute green beans in 1-2T butter, add 1/4 c water and cover for, I don't know, 5 min? or until tender. Toss with toasted almond slivers (again, the blanched ones at YDFM are great, but you have to toast them yourself).

Asparagus
Wash and snap off tough ends of spears. Steam spears in some water in a covered skillet for ~5min. Drain. Saute spears in 2T butter, basil, salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2t basil). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and Serve warm.
(Betty Crocker, who I've adapted this from, adds 8oz sliced mushrooms and 1/4c chopped hazelnuts, but I don't like mushrooms and never have hazelnuts so I've always cooked it this way).

Summer Squash, Zucchini and Onions
Saute sliced summer squash, zucchini and onions in 2T olive oil and 1t basil. Salt and pepper to taste. Yum!

Pumpkin Stuff

Sorry Amber, that I've not honored your request until now. I've been a complete mooch off this site so far.
I served this dessert at Book Group last October at my house and it's one of David's favorites.

Pumpkin Stuff

1 big can of pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1c sugar
3 eggs
2t cinnamon
1t nutmeg
1/2t ginger
1/2t cloves

Combine all, place in a 9x13 pan. Top with dry yellow cake mix, then pour 1.5 cubes of melted butter over the top (I usually use less than that, maybe 1 cube?). Bake for 50-55min at 350.