Spinach Chips

A while back I posted a recipe for Kale Chips.  I never even considered that you could use another type of green but I like these Spinach Chips even better than the kale!  If you can find curly spinach it will probably be even easier, but the baby spinach leaves are great.  Just make sure you put them in a single layer not touching each other.  And take it easy on the salt--these are really easy to overseason.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt, to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with foil.
2.  Put the spinach leaves in a large bowl.  Drizzle olive oil over leaves and gently toss with your hand to evenly coat the leaves.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and salt and toss.
3.  Arrange the leaves in a single layer not touching each other.  Bake for 8-12 minutes or until leaves are crispy.  Take from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes.  Use a spatula to remove from foil.

Source:  Divas Can Cook

Bistro Chicken Twist

This recipe comes from a good ol' Pampered Chef recipe book. I have been making it for years and used to make it for my family on Christmas Eve before we decorated Christmas cookies.

1 C. Chopped cooked chicken
1/2 C. diced red bell pepper
1/4 C. snipped fresh basil leaves
1/4 C. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 packages (11 ounces each) refrigerated French bread dough-I use frozen bread dough, thawed.

1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl, combine chicken, bell pepper, basil, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise and garlic. Mix well.

Place bread dough on a greased cookie sheet. With a knife, cut each loaf length wise, end to end, halfway through. Then, use your hands to spread the dough about a bit.

Spoon half the chicken mixture into each of the two loaves. Gather up the edges over the filling, pinching to seal. Turn the two loaves over so the seam sides are down.

With the two loaves next to one another, crisscross them together. Leave a 1 1/2 inch space between the two loaves in the centers of the figure eights that you created.

Combine the egg white and the Italian seasoning. Brush over the top of the twist. Cut a small slit in the tops of the twist to expose the filling. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

Fideo Pronto

This is a super-easy dish to throw together when you don't have a lot of time on your hands--so basically any day of the week.  It can be a main ( throw in some grilled chicken or whatever meat you want) or side dish.  The recipe is from a box of broken up vermicelli that I used to be able to get in El Paso, Texas at my local grocery store.  Now I buy the vermicelli in a bag, in the Hispanic Foods section, and the recipe is not on there.

This is also a good way to get some veggies into your kids, and a good way to use leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 7-oz. pkg. vermicelli, broken up

1 15-oz. can of diced tomatoes, any flavor, with juice

1 tsp. sugar

1-2 T. olive oil

any veggies you want to add (we like fresh spinach, green chilies,  fresh broccoli...)

salt to taste

1.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add vermicelli and stir-fry until golden brown.  Be careful to not burn this.  The vermicelli will continue to brown quickly.

2.  Add the tomatoes with the juice and the rest of your ingredients.  Bring to a light boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 5 minutes or so.  You want the vermicelli to be a little chewy, but not crunchy.

Santa Hat Party Mix

This is so yummy and fun to make and to eat!  You'll definitely want to take it to one of the many Christmas parties of the season.

Ingredients:

Santa Hats

• Bugles
• Red melting disks
• mini marshmallows
• white sprinkles (nonpareils)

Snack Mix

• 3 c. mini pretzels
• 1/2 c. craisins
• 1 c. salted dry roasted peanuts
• 2 c. Rice Chex
• 2 c. holiday colored M&M's
• 8 oz. white chocolate for metling

How to Make

Santa Hats

1.  Melt the candy melts, along with a tablespoon of shortening (to help thin the melted candy), in 30 second intervals on half power in your microwave until melted.

2.  Immediately start dipping.

3.  Let them set up for 10 minutes or so on parchment or wax paper.

4.  When they are set, remelt the red candy disks (if necessary) and dip just the bottoms (the large part of the Bugle) into the white sprinkles.

5.  Then flip it over and dip the top in the melted candy and press a mini marshmallow on top.

6.  Let dry on wax paper.

Snack Mix

1.  Spread all your ingredients, EXCEPT M&M's and Santa Hats, out on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.

2.  Melt your white chocolate according to package directions and drizzle over the pretzel mix.  Transfer to a large bowl.

3.  When chocolate is set, sprinkle M&M's and Bugle Santa Hats over the mix.

Source:  cookiesandcups.com

Avocado Tuna Salad

I love a good tuna sandwich, but it can be a bit, well, uninspired sometimes.  Here's a way to jazz up your tuna salad.  And you can eat it plain, over greens, on crackers, or in a a good old sandwich.  I ate it over salad and didn't need any dressing because it's so moist.

Ingredients:
2 cans tuna packed in water
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 red apple, finely chopped
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. Dijon or Dusseldorf mustard
1/4 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Drain the tuna.  Mash the avocado in a bowl with the back of a fork.  Mix the tuna and avocado together.
2.  Add celery, apple, and walnuts.  Stir to combine.
3.  In a small bowl mix water, mustard, and spices.  Add to tuna mixture and mix well.

Can store in fridge for up to a week.  Serves 4-6

Source:  slighly adapted from thehealthymaven.com

Chicken with Sun Dried Tomato-Basil Sauce

I found this recipe a year or two ago and have it pinned as one of my favorites. It is rich and delicious. One thing I did differently is that I added some of the drippings from the pan I cooked the chicken in. I de-glazed the pan with a bit of water and poured that into my sauce.








4 chicken breasts
Olive oil
Salt and fresh pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup onions, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (in package, NOT oil packed)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with salt and fresh ground pepper. Cook in pan until thermometer reads 162 degrees or so (chicken will continue cooking after being removed from the pan.) Remove chicken from pan and set aside, keeping covered.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and shallots, cook 1-2 minutes, just until soft. Add sun dried tomatoes; stir.

With a whisk in hand, add flour and stir. Pour in chicken broth and whisk constantly to remove any lumps.
Add cream; whisk.
Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.  Take off heat and let sit; it will

continue to thicken
Add fresh basil to sauce and give it a good stir.

Serve the chicken and sauce with your choice of pasta.

Source

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese

This is a multi-use dish that is tasty and easy to prepare.  You will love walking in the door after work and remembering that dinner has been cooking for you all day and the aroma is calling you in.  This dish can be used with rice, as pictured, or without.  It would also be great as a taco or burrito filling--even as a dip with tostadas!

Ingredients:

2 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (do not thaw)

1 can Mexican-style chopped tomatoes

1 can sweet corn, undrained

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 pkg. Ranch Dressing mix

1 T. cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 t. onion powder

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese ( I used Neufschatel)

1.  Place the chicken in the slow cooker.  Top with remaining ingredients, ending with the cream cheese.

2.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring once or twice to blend the cheese.

3.  When done, shred the chicken into bite-size or larger pieces and serve over rice.  Can also be served with burritos or tacos.

NOTES:  Serves 4-6.  Also makes a great dip!

Source:  Rita's Recipes via Pinterest.

Black Bean Salad With Citrus Dressing

I like to serve this as a side dish to many of my mexican main dish favorites.

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans
1 can corn
8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved or diced
1/3 c. red onion, chopped
3/4 c. loosely packed cilantro, stems removed
1 avocado, chopped

Dressing:

juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 1/2 limes
1/4 t. cumin
1/2 t. agave or honey
1/8 t. salt

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients except avocado.
2.  Mix the dressing ingredients and pour over salad and toss.
3.  Chop and add the avocado right before serving.

Source:  adapted from the gardengrazer.com

No-Fry Fries

I love homemade fries.  But I don't make them anymore for two reasons:  (1) fried food is unhealthy, and (2) frying stuff makes my whole house smell gross.  I've seen this recipe bounce around Pinterest enough to know that these fries must be pretty good.  So I figured I'd give 'em a try.  I'm not normally a crispy fry person, but I must say with these I prefer them crunchier.

Ingredients:
2 large Russet potatoes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut potatoes into 1/3" thick fries.  (Cut in half first, then cut each half into 1/3" slices, then cut each slice into fries.)
2.  Place in a bowl of very cold water and stir them around with your hand.  Strain in a colander and place on a cookie sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel.  Use another clean towel to dry the fries well.
3.  Remove the towels.  Drizzle olive oil over the fries and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and toss again.  Spread the fries out evenly.
4.  Bake until browned, turning halfway through.....25-35 minutes, depending on your oven and preference.

Source:  this is all over Pinterest and is supposedly from Gwyneth Paltrow

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

This recipe comes from my friend's sister of The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
She basically has it down to a science and it always turns out wonderfully!

Ingredients:
4 c water (room temperature)
8-10 C. (2 lbs 10 oz) whole wheat flour
2 T instant yeast
1/2 c (2 oz) gluten
1/2 c brown sugar
4 t salt
1/4 c vegetable oil

In a large mixer combine the water and whole wheat flour. Blend for 3-4 minutes. It will be sticky. Cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours. I often mix the flour and water the night before and finish the bread in the morning.

Add the remaining ingredients and knead 2-3 minutes.  It should be cleaning the sides of the bowl by this point.  If it isn't, add 2 T wheat flour at a time until it does.
Knead another five minutes and touch test the dough.  Squeeze the top quickly with a few finger tips. The dough should not stick to them. Add flour or water 1-2 tablespoons at a time to get the correct look and feel. Knead an additional 5 minutes.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Punch down dough, knead for a minute or so and then cover tightly again and let rise an additional 45-60 minutes until dough triples in size. 

Grease 3 loaf pans with cooking spray. Punch down dough and separate into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long, skinny rectangle, making sure to remove any air pockets, roll each rectangle tightly and pinch bottom and side seams to create a loaf shape. Place in greased loaf pans. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover loaves and let rise 15 mins more, or until the oven is preheated. Bake 40 minutes. 

Remove immediately from pans and place on a cooling rack. You can eat it warm or cool down to slice and freeze it. 

Nachos de Sobras

I made a big batch of ham and veggie soup Sunday and figured we were good for at least 3 nights of supper.  Well SOMEBODY didn't want soup for supper last night and so I am thinking what the heck will I fix now?  And then it hit me!  I had leftovers from a THRIVE class/party and from dinner at my daughter's house one night.  Put it all together and what do you get? Nachos de Sobras (leftovers).  It was a filling and tasty meal and perfect to have while watching the election results.  SOMEBODY even commented on how good it was.  Really? Leftovers?  Yes, really. Que rico!

Ingredients:

Fritos Scoops or any tostada or corn chips

Taco-seasoned ground beef

Cooked and seasoned Pinto beans

Chunky salsa 

Shredded Mexican-blend cheese

Sour Cream

Assemble as desired.  Done.

Apple Cobbler Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Made these for a school party.  A mouthful of fall flavors!

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 t. lemon extract
2 1/2 c. apples, roughly chopped and loosely packed

Directions:

1.  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and ginger.
2.  Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3.  Beat in eggs, sour cream and lemon extract until blended.
4.  Mix in flour mixture.
5.  Fold in apples.
6.  Divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners (they will be filled almost all the way to the top).
7.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.

Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Ingredients:

3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs
15 oz. canned pumpkin
12 oz. evaporated milk

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  In a large bowl, beat eggs.
3.  Stir in sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
4.  Mix in pumpkin.
5.  Mix in evaporated milk.
6.  Pour into 9" pie plate.
7.  Bake for 15 minutes.
8.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out dry.
9.  Remove from oven and leave on counter for two hours before use.

*Put "pumpkin pie" into a piping bag or ziplock bag with a hole cut out.  Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.

Notes:

While you can load a slice of pie directly into the piping bag, I found that the pie piped better if I put it in a large mixing bowl and beat it for about thirty seconds to evenly distribute any moisture before loading it into my bag.

Source:  cupcakeproject.com

Savory Mushroom Sage Stuffing

This is my family's stuffing recipe. I don't actually stuff my turkey. I use this recipe and make a big 9x13 inch pan of this stuff. The bread gets slightly crispy on top and the mushrooms and onions and celery are soft. It is really simple, but one of my all time favorite things to eat!

Ingredients:
14-16 slices hearty white bread (I use Grandma Sycamore's white bread)
2 sticks butter
7-8 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium onions, diced
16-20 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. rubbed sage
S & P to taste
1 1/2-2 Cups chicken broth

Directions:
1. Using a serrated knife, cut the bread slices into small cubes. Lay the cubes out on a baking sheet. Dry them out in an oven set to 170 degrees over the course of a few hours or overnight. You want them to be completely dry and crunchy.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onions. Saute til just tender. Add the sage and S & P to taste. Add the sliced mushrooms, cook til mushrooms begin to soften.
3. In a large bowl, place the dried bread cubes. Add the warm mushroom mixture. Stir a bit. Then, add about 1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth-depending on how moist you want your stuffing.
4. Place the stuffing in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with foil. Cover with foil and cook for about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top becomes slightly crispy and golden.

Pumpkin-Shaped Dinner Rolls

This time around I thought I'd post more of an idea than a recipe.  You can use any bread dough recipe you like or use a mix like I did.  Whatever dough you choose to work with, the results will be similar.  This is an easy way to bring a little fall fun to your Thanksgiving table.

Directions for one-loaf's worth of dough:
1.  Prepare dough according to recipe or can instructions.  Allow to rise until doubled in bulk.  Punch down.
2.  Roll dough into a log.  Using kitchen shears (or unflavored dental floss) cut the log into half, then cut each half into half again.  This will give you four log pieces.  Each of these pieces should then be cut into thirds.  You will have 12 pieces.
3.  Take one section of dough and roll firmly between your palms.  Roll into a tight, smooth ball.  Take your kitchen shears and snip into the edge of the dough eight times equal distance apart.  Do not cut all the way through.
4.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Cover lightly with a sheet of plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Allow to rise.
5.  Bake according to your recipe.  Garnish with a sliver of pecan.

Source:  it's all over Pinterest, baby.

Pumpkin Bread

A long time ago, in a land far away (Idaho), I went to my first two years of college.  One weekend we had a homemaking fair kind of thing and I was asked to make a batch of pumpkin bread. Thankfully, I was given a recipe to follow.  I was a student, remember, and I didn't have a lot of cooking/baking experience.  I learned a lot of that while living off campus.  Anyway, I have just held on to this recipe for 30+ years.  Yeah, the recipe is that awesome.  It also makes great muffins.  In the spirit of pumpkin season, I am now sharing that recipe with you, our faithful followers. Get crazy with it!

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

15-oz can of pumpkin (or use the equivalent of fresh puree)

2 t. salt

1 t. cloves

1 t. allspice

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1.  Mix sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water.

2.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder.  Then add to pumpkin mixture.

3.  Add salt, cloves, allspice, raisins and nuts.  Mix well.

4.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pans.  You will need several, depending on the size. This particular time I used two larger loaf pans and one mini pan.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 1 hour.  Test for doneness with a cake tester.

NOTE:  This recipe will produce about 30 muffins, baked at 28 minutes.

SOURCE: Ricks College 2nd Stake Relief Society, Rexburg, Idaho.

Peek-a-boo Pumpkin Cake

There's a pleasant surprise baked into every slice of this fall-inspired pound cake....a pumpkin!  Everyone will be asking, "How'd you do that"?

For the pound cake:

1 (14 oz) box pumpkin bread mix
1 (16 oz) box pound cake mix
Orange food coloring

For the icing:

8 T. (1 stick) butter
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 T. evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

1.  Mix up pumpkin bread ingredients according to the directions on the box.  Add orange food coloring to make it more "pumpkin-y" looking (less brown).

2.  Bake in a 9x5 inch loaf pan according to directions.  Remove from oven before completely done, about 8-10 minutes less than instructed.  Let cool, remove from pan and refrigerate for up to four hours.  Cut cold pumkin bread into large slices.  Cut pumpkin shapes from slices.  Align them (vertically) down the center of a lightly greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan.

3.  Make pound cake batter according to the directions on the box.  Pour over your pumpkin bread cutouts in the pan, making sure to cover the tops of the pumpkins.  You may have more pound cake batter than you need.  Try not to overfill the pan.  Bake according to the directions on the box.  Let cool when done.

4.  Put powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.  In a saucepan, melt butter and boil, stirring until it starts to brown and form dark flecks on the sides and bottom.  Remove from heat.  Pour the melted brown butter and flecks over the powdered sugar.  Add the evaporated milk and vanilla.  Stir until combined and creamy.  Add more powdered sugar if it appears too runny or more evaporated milk if it seems too stiff.

5.  Remove baked and cooled pound cake from pan and top with brown butter icing.  Add chopped pecans, if desired.  Cut into slices and delight your guests with the pumpkin-shaped surprise that peeks out from inside!

Source:  sheknows.com

Cheesy Sausage Pasta Skillet

First off, I want to share how happy I am to be back with the Mormon Mavens. I took a year hiatus... and missed it! I love trying new recipes and sharing the good ones I find as well as those tried and true recipes that you can never go wrong with. Thanks for having me back, friends!

Now... onto the yummy food....

Cheese.

Sausage.

Pasta.

YUM!

This recipe is a true one pot meal and comes together quickly. 

Cheesy Sausage Pasta Skillet

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. Smoked Turkey Sausage, sliced

1 C. diced onions

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (about two fresh cloves)

2 cups Chicken Broth

1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream (if you don’t have this on hand – milk would work too)

8 oz dry pasta (any small pasta will do)

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions

1.  Add olive oil to a 4-5 quart saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

2.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, and seasonings. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

3.  Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cover for about five minutes to allow cheese to melt. Top with sliced scallions and serve.

Makes about 4 servings.

Many thanks to Yellow Bliss Road for sharing this recipe!

Red Curry and Ginger Pork Loin

So, I like to cook with pork. It is so versatile and lends itself well to different flavors. I decided to make up a curry and ginger marinade and sauce. It is slightly sweet with a definite kick due to the curry.

Ingredients:
1/4 C. oil
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar2 Tbsp. red curry paste
1 tsp. fresh ground ginger

2 lbs. meat. I used pork, but it would be great with chicken or beef. 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Place meat in a large zip top bag. Pour marinade over the top. If you have a meat injector, you could also inject some of the marinade into the meat. Let marinate in the fridge for an hour or two.
Heat up your grill over med high to high heat. Oil your grill grate. Remove meat from marinade and place on grill. Let sit for a few minutes, then turn. Continue cooking pork until an instant read thermometer registers between 145 and 160 degrees F. Let meat rest for at least 5 minutes.

For extra sauce cook the following in a small sauce pan:
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. red curry paste
1/3 c. water
juice of 1 lime.
Heat til just boiling, then simmer for 5 mins or so. 

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

One of the things I have a hard time resisting is pizza.  Even when I'm not trying to eat wheat- and dairy-free, pizza is a huge temptation.  I just love it.  But it doesn't love me.  I didn't think there would be an alternative that I would enjoy.

I've seen pics for this crust all over Pinterest but never really had the gumption to try it until now.  While it doesn't rival Domino's or Pizza Hut or Whatever-Your-Favorite-Pizza-Place-Is, it's good enough that I will be making it again.  And that's sayin' somethin'.

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cauliflower
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup mozzarella Veggie Shreds
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp. onion salt

1.  Remove leaves from cauliflower and cut head into pieces.  In a food processor with a grater blade, process the cauliflower.
2.  Place 2 cups of cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on full power for 5 minutes.
3.  Cool to room temp.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined.
4.  Grease a cookie sheet or pizza pan.  Form pizza crust into desired shape.
5.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with desired toppings.  Return pizza to oven for a few minutes, or broil to melt additional cheese.

Notes:

• The head of cauliflower I used yielded about 3 1/3 cups of shredded.  
• You can use regular cheese, but I'm trying to go dairy-free so I used a cheese substitute.  If you want to give it a try, you can find it in the produce section at the grocery store.
• I didn't add extra cheese since there is some in the crust already.  I just topped with a bit of pizza sauce and some pepperoni.  If you are adding veggies, you may want to saute them a bit first since they won't spend long in the oven.

Makes 6 pieces of pizza crust

Source:  wowyouarereallylucky.com

Chili Blanco

This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.  One is that we get to have stews and soups and all kinds of yummy, warm comfort foods.  This chili recipe is actually quite healthy and was really easy to put together.  You just need to allow time for the beans to cook, as you will note in the instructions.  I will probably be posting other recipes from this cookbook (see source below), so stay tuned for more deliciousness.

Ingredients:
1 pound dry white beans, rinsed and picked over *
4 (14-oz. each) cans of chicken broth *
1 t. chicken stock base (I didn't have any so I just made my broth stronger)
2 onions, chopped *
1 T. oil
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (7-oz.) can diced green chilies *
4 t. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano leaves
2 t. cayenne pepper
4 cups cooked, diced chicken
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, if desired (I added this)
1 cup fat-free (yeah right!) sour cream *
3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1.  Place the beans, broth, chicken stock base, onions, oil, garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook very slowly until the beans are done--test to see if they are done as they cook.  You don't want them to be mushy, just tender.  Beans that are not soaked first take 2-3 hours to cook.  Make sure to add more broth or water if the liquid gets low so they won't dry out.

2.  Remove beans from heat.  Stir in the cooked chicken and the cilantro.

3.  Top each serving with sour cream and shredded cheese.

* I have noted when I have used freeze-dried or other items from food storage products, just so you can get an idea of how to incorporate those items into your every day cooking.

SOURCE:   The Romney Family Table.

North Carolina BBQ Sauce

This sauce was a huge hit at our daughter's graduation pig pickin'.  We cooked the pig in the sauce but you'll want to add more to your plate when you eat your pork because it is that good!

Ingredients:

4 c. cider vinegar
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 c. butter
2 T. hot pepper sauce
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 t. mustard powder
1 t. salt
1 t. fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1.  Place all ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the stove and pour into a heat-proof bowl.  Cover and refrigerate the sauce for 2 days.

2.  Strain the sauce through a mesh sieve to remove the red pepper flakes.  Store the sauce in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

***I did not remove the red pepper flakes and I thought it was delicious that way.

Source:  www.fullybooked.com

Love and Concern for All God's Children

Today, we had a wonderful lesson at church about having love and concern for all God's children

Here are some of my favorite excerpts

 

"I believe it is our solemn duty to love one another, to believe in each other, to have faith in each other, that it is our duty to overlook the faults and the failings of each other, and not to magnify them in our own eyes nor before the eyes of the world. There should be no faultfinding, no back-biting, no evil speaking, one against another, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We should be true to each other and to every principle of our religion and not be envious one of another. We should not be jealous one of another, nor angry with each other, and there should not arise in our hearts a feeling that we will not forgive one another our trespasses. There should be no feeling in the hearts of the children of God of unforgiveness against any man, no matter who he may be. …

… We ought not to harbor feelings one against another, but have a feeling of forgiveness and of brotherly love and sisterly love, one for another. Let each one of us remember his or her own individual failings and weaknesses and endeavor to correct them. We have not reached a condition of perfection yet, it is hardly to be expected that we will in this life, and yet, through the aid of the Holy Ghost, it is possible for us to stand united together seeing eye to eye and overcoming our sins and imperfections. If we will do this, respecting all the commandments of the Lord, we shall be a power in the world for good; we shall overwhelm and overcome all evil, all opposition to the truth, and bring to pass righteousness upon the face of the earth. For the Gospel will be spread and the people in the world will feel the influence which will be shed forth from the people of Zion, and they will be inclined more to repent of their sins and to receive the truth."



"In other words, all that has been revealed for the salvation of man from the beginning to our own time is circumscribed, included in, and a part of these two great laws. If we love the Lord with all the heart, with all the soul, and with all the mind, and our neighbors as ourselves, then there is nothing more to be desired. Then we will be in harmony with the total of sacred law. If we were willing to live in harmony with these two great commandments—and we must do so eventually if we are worthy to live in the presence of God—then wickedness, jealousy, ambition, covetousness, bloodshed, and all sin of every nature would be banished from the earth. Then would come a day of eternal peace and happiness. What a glorious day that would be! We have been endowed with sufficient reason to know that such a state is most desirable and would establish among men the Fatherhood of God and the perfect brotherhood of man."

I could not put it better. As one woman said during our lesson today, "LIFE IS HARD, LET'S HOLD HANDS!"

I love that. We all need to show more love, more concern, more kindness to everyone. Those in and out of our faith, those that we agree with and those we disagree with. The world needs more love!
Let's try to be more Christlike and love all of God's children.

Pulled BBQ Chicken

My neighbor told me this recipe over the phone. Super easy and satisfying.

Pulled BBQ Chicken in the Crockpot
Ingredients:
3-4 Frozen chicken breasts
1 onion
smoked paprika
garlic powder
a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce- I used Stubbs original

Directions:
Slice up the onion and place on the bottom of your crock pot. Lay the chicken breasts over the onions. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and garlic powder. Pour some of the BBQ sauce over the top of it all. Cover and cook on low until chicken is cooked through.
Shred the chicken with a fork and add more BBQ sauce as needed.

Serve on rolls with lettuce or wrapped in a tortilla with blue cheese cole slaw.

Candy Corn Cookies

Now, I'm normally a "make it from scratch" kind of girl.  But sometimes, well, you just don't have the time or energy.  I had planned to make these cookies from scratch but then thought, "You know, it's just as wonderful to have a time-saving way to make something cute as it is to have a scratch way to make something cute!"

So, if you're the type of person who loves ideas using convenience foods, you'll love this.

Ingredients:
2 logs of sugar cookie dough
food coloring

1.  Preheat oven according to dough directions.  Unwrap logs of dough.  Set aside about 1/3 of the dough.  Take the other 1/3's and place into two small mixing bowls.  Color one of the 1/3's orange and the other yellow.  (I used gel food coloring in orange and yellow because that's what I had.  If you have liquid food coloring, use yellow and then yellow/red to make orange.)
2.  Line a loaf pan with a large sheet of wax paper (you want it to cover all the sides, not just the bottom...and allow some to hang over the sides).  Press the uncolored cookie dough into the bottom of the paper-lined loaf pan.  Make sure it's even.  Then do the orange, then the yellow so that you have three even layers.  Fold the wax paper down over the top of the dough and press to help the layers be even and also to adhere them to each other well.  Chill for an hour.
3.  Use the paper to lift out the dough from the loaf pan.  Remove the paper.  With the dough on a cutting board, carefully cut the dough into slices about 1/3-inch thick.  Cut each slice into little candy corn shaped wedges (also known as triangles!).  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, two inches apart.
4.  Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just barely starting to get golden brown.  Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.  Then carefully remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

I could have sworn I had a picture of the loaf slice cut into diagonal candy corn shaped wedges, but apparently I did not.  Sorry!

These cookies are a little on the small side, but 2 logs makes a lot of them.  I only had time to cut and bake a few of the slices and that was over 2 dozen.  The rest of the dough I put back in the fridge to use later.

Source:  idea from Kathie Cooks

Candy Corn Fruit Salad

I am not a fan of Candy Corn, but I love this salad.  It is simple:

1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Marshmallows
1/2 cup Coconut

Mix together and place in the bottom of a glass bowl, layer 4 cans Mandarin Oranges and 2 cans Pinapple on top. Gently mix together just before serving.

Halloween Poison Cake

You know, it's scary how many Halloween recipes you can find on Pinterest.  All the boys and ghouls are pinning all their faves for their upcoming spookiest soirees.  Every year I get so excited and say "This is the year I am going to host a "Tim the Tool Man Taylor"  monster bash!"  And every year I don't.  Maybe next year.  Anyway, here is a sweet treat you can try out, the trick is trusting the conversion equivalents.  The source for this recipe has included both, but I think next time I make this I will tweak it.

Ingredients:

375 grams sugar (2 cups)

250 grams soft unsalted butter (9 oz.)

3 large eggs

250 grams all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

250 ml  milk, room temperature (1 1/8 cup)

2-3 t. almond extract (or vanilla or mint )

Green food coloring, to desired color

Cocoa Icing:

1 cup or more of powdered sugar

Unsweetened cocoa powder, about 1/2 a cup

A few T. boiled, lukewarm water (not sure how this makes a difference.  I just used tap water.)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment (I used baking spray with flour).

3.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

4. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well each time.  Scrape down the sides when needed.

5.  Add the flour mix to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, mixing well.

6.  Stir in the almond flavoring.  Next add green food color.  Don't use too much since the color will darken as it bakes (it really does!).

7.  Pour the green batter in the cake pan and smooth with a rubber spatula.  Place cake on lowest rack in oven to prevent over-browning. Do this for sure.  I didn't and ended up with a zombie cake top  Bake for about 40-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

8.  Transfer cake to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.  Cut the cake into squares.

ICING:

Mix ingredients together in a bowl, adjusting liquid/sugar depending on desired consistency.  It should have a thick pouring consistency that is easily spread with a spatula.

SOURCE:  Cake Journal.

Spider Deviled Eggs and Clementine Pumpkins

Just thought a couple of healthy treats would be nice for a change around the Halloween season.  No need for recipes here, just a few simple instructions.

For the Spider Eggs:

Make your basic deviled eggs.  Use a half black olive for the body of the spider.  Slice the other half into 4 segments to make legs.  You'll need one and a half olives to make one spider.

For the Pumpkins:

Peel a clementine.  Insert a cut piece of celery into the top opening for a stem.

Source:  pinterest

Whole Grain Buckwheat Pancakes

I love breakfast.  Love it!  But when you're trying to go dairy- and gluten-free, breakfast can be hard.  Well, hard if you're like me and love carbs for breakfast.  Pancakes weren't something I ate every morning but when they were gone, they were missed.  In the few months that I've been eating this way I've tried a few pancake recipes;  and they were okay.  When I found this recipe I really didn't have high expectations.  And when I saw the batter, my expectations dropped even lower.  (Seriously, it looks like mud.  And don't the pancakes look more like hamburger patties from a distance?)  But I was pleasantly surprised when I took my first bite.  So happy I decided to try these!

Ingredients:
1 cup whole grain buckwheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 egg, separated
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. melted ghee
coconut oil for cooking

1.  In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon).  Whisk and set aside.
2.  In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla, and ghee.  Whisk well to combine.  Add this to the dry ingredients and stir well until just combined.
3.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until soft peaks form.  Fold this into the batter gently.
4.  Coat griddle at medium heat with coconut oil.  Pour batter onto griddle, forming 4" cakes.  Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges are no longer shiny.  Then flip and cook on the other side until done.

Serve with maple syrup.  Like, the real stuff!

Makes 8 four-inch pancakes

Source:  mountainmamacooks.com (very slighly adapted)

Summer Pasta Salad

This is just a simple pasta salad that I thought I would try out from SAVING DINNER (see below for link).  I really like the subtitle on this cookbook: "The Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Bring Your Family Back to the Table."  Well that is a mouthful, isn't it!  So far, I have really like the recipes in the book and they are all pretty healthy.  This will be supper tonight.  Well, I also brought some to work for lunch so I will be getting a double dose! 

Ingredients:

1 pound ziti pasta

1 T. olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 cups chopped zucchini

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups chopped fresh tomato

1 cup fresh corn, or 1 cup frozen, thawed (I re-hydrated 1 cup of freeze dried corn--always trying      to rotate my food storage, you know!)

1/4 t. red pepper flakes (more if you want spicier)

1 cup non-fat milk

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese (I didn't have any so I used the Romano Asiago blend from   a jar)

Salt and Pepper to taste 

1.  Prepare pasta; drain and set aside.

2.  In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add red onion and zucchini and cook until the onion is golden, stirring frequently.

3.  Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, tomato, corn, red pepper flakes, milk, and Romano cheese.

4.  Stir until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are hot.  Add the pasta and mix thoroughly.

5.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

NOTE:  There was no mention in the original recipe on whether this is served warm or cold--by trial and error I have found that this is a dish best served HOT.  Trust me on that.

SOURCE:  "Saving Dinner", Leanne Ely.

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

A little sweet, a little creamy and a little tangy (with a little kick for good measure).

Ingredients:

1 large cabbage, cut into thirds and core removed
2 large peeled carrots
1/2 medium sweet onion
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. spicy brown mustard
2 T. dijon mustard
2 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt

Directions:

1.  Cut two of the cabbage thirds, onion and carrots into large chunks and place in a 12 cup food processor.  (Note:  If you do not have a food processor you can shred the cabbage and carrots by hand.  It will take longer but taste just as good!)

2.  Pulse in food processor until carrots and cabbage are both chopped into small pieces.

3.  Chop remaining cabbage into larger pieces.  Blend all cabbage together in a large bowl.

4.  Whisk together mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, sugar, peppers, and salt in small bowl until smooth.  Add more or less cayenne to taste.

5.  Pour dressing over cabbage mixture.

6.  Mix well until all cabbage is well coated.  Refrigerate at least one hour to let flavors blend.

Source:  www.livingwellspendingless.com

Mediterranean Inspired Orzo Salad

 So, in April I went to Utah to surprise my sister for her 30th Birthday. Her husband then surprised us all by taking us by limousine to The Roof Restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City. They had a salad there that was made with Israeli couscous and was full of Mediterranean flavors. I was determined to re-create it at home. I searched high and low for Israeli couscous, but when I turned up empty handed, I decided to just use orzo past, which I love.
It is a simple pasta salad using my Greek Style Vinaigrette.

 

Ingredients: 

1 C. orzo pasta

1/3 C. pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped (about 10 olives)

1/3 C. crumbled feta cheese

1-2 Tbsp. fresh chopped dill

Greek Style Vinaigrette to taste

Salt and Pepper if needed 

Directions:

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. 

Chop Kalamata olives

Chop dill

Place orzo in a bowl, add olives, feta cheese, dill and dressing. Toss to coat. Adjust dressing or S&P according to taste. 

You could easily add whatever other ingredients you want. Chopped spinach, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts would be great additions. 

And, if you are lucky enough, you could try it with Israeli couscous. 

 

Creamy Avocado Pasta Sauce

This is a great sauce and it's full of healthy fat and flavor.  I served it with some cubed, cooked chicken and rice vermicelli noodles (since I'm avoiding wheat).  But you could serve it with any noodle you wish and have it as a main dish or as a pasta side dish.

Ingredients:
1 ripe medium or large avocado (pitted and scooped out of the skin)
1/2 lemon
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

(Begin cooking your pasta before you start the sauce.  By the time it's al dente, your sauce will be all ready to go!)

In a food processor blend the garlic, the juice from the half lemon, and the olive oil.   Add the avocado, basil, and salt.  Process until smooth.  If too thick, add water a couple of Tbsp. at a time through the feed chute until it reaches the consistency you want.

Garnish your pasta and sauce with zest from the lemon half and with extra chopped basil if desired.  You may also want to add some salt and pepper.

Mine was pretty thick even after about a third cup of water added, but once it was mixed in with the pasta it was perfect!

Source:  greatist.com

Tin Foil Dinner

This is easy to make several of (I usually make enough for 5 zip lock bags), and cooks up really fast for when you are in a pinch!

All you need is:

Hamburger
Veggies of choice (I use Zucchini, Carrots, Onions, Potatoes, and Green Beans)
Ketchup
Mustard
Salt
Pepper

Precook the veggies until soft then mix them in with the raw hamburger and add ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper to your liking.  Once combined put it into your frying pan to shape it to fit, then slide into a 1 gallon zip lock bag and lay flat to freeze (as you can see in the picture above it is still frozen but fits nicely in my pan).  When you need it just take it out, pop it in the frying pan you measured it in. Cover and cook until the hamburger is cooked through.  The reason I have not given amounts is you can make it more meaty or veggie depending on your preference.  We usually serve it with a big salad.  Enjoy!

Freezer Meal: Cafe Rio Chicken

A little confession.  I know the food is good at Cafe Rio.  I ate there once or twice on a trip to southern Utah a few years back.  But I don't go ballistic nuts over it.  Just sayin'.  Maybe because I have had so much authentic Mexican food that I never feel like I have been deprived, you know? (Not sure if this is a copycat recipe or what, but my source is noted at the end of this post). This was really tasty.  I used it in a salad, but there was plenty left over to do burritos or fajitas, tacos...OMGoodness, this would be amazing in Sopa de Pollo!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz.  zesty Italian dressing

1/2 T. minced garlic

1 packet ranch dressing mix, combined with 1/2 cup water

1/2 T. chili powder

1/2 T. ground cumin

1.  Place all ingredients in a zippered freezer bag (gallon size). Close bag and smoosh all the ingredients together.  Place bag in freezer until ready to use.

2. Take out of freezer one hour prior to prep time--this is also a slow cooker recipe--OR run room temperature water over the bag for about 30 seconds.  Then, empty ingredients into a slow cooker.

3.  Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.  Remove from slow cooker and shred with forks.

NOTE:  Great in tacos, salads, burritos, etc.

TIPS:  You might want to put this in two quart-size bags, depending on the size of your slow cooker.  What I have found with these recipes is that however you place them in the freezer is the shape and size you are going to have of your frozen meal.  Hopefully, that fits in your cooker.  Mine barely did on this.  But I tried a different recipe the other day (yuck!!) that I laid out flat to freeze and it wouldn't fit my smaller cooker and even with my larger oval one I had to chop away at the corners of the food to get them down in order to get the lid on securely.  Good things to know before you start.

Source:  Chef In Training.