White Chocolate & Peppermint Popcorn

Submitted by Kristi Jarvis

16 oz. white chocolate (can use white chocolate baking morsels) or almond bark
1 cup finely crushed (like sand) peppermints (about 10-12 candy canes or 40 mints) - I crush my peppermints in my food processor. The mints will scratch the plastic.
4 quarts popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup corn kernels) - I used this to pop my corn, so it had salt. If you are using air popped corn, throw in a pinch of salt when you sprinkle in the crushed peppermints.

Slowly melt white chocolate or almond bark in the microwave or on stove-top with double boiler. Stir often to keep chocolate from burning. Stir 1/2 cup crushed peppermints into the white chocolate. Place popped corn into a large bowl. Pour melted white chocolate and peppermint mixture over the popcorn. Gently stir to coat popcorn while sprinkling remaining crushed peppermints over the popcorn. Pour out onto parchment paper and allow coating to harden.

Cookie Salad

Submitted by Julie Ingermanson

1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 c. buttermilk
1 container Cool Whip
1 can pineapple, drained
1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 package Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies

Mix pudding & buttermilk (will be thick). Fold in Cool Whip. Add fruits & broken cookies.

Sugar Cookies

 

Dough:
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 c. flour

Mix together and refrigerate over night.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. Crisco
milk
powdered sugar
vanilla
salt

Mix butter and Crisco and then add the rest to taste.  Bake dough at 350 for 10 minutes.  Makes 55-60 cookies.  ENJOY!

Sweet & Salty Almonds

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell
From Seven Bums Kitchen

2 c. raw almonds
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (my favorite is using sea salt)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. vegetable oil

Spread raw almonds on a large baking sheet so that they are just one layer. Put in a cold oven, then turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Roast the almonds for about 15 minutes or until you can smell them.

While the almonds are roasting, put the honey, water and vegetable oil in a large skillet. Whisk until everything is combined, then put it on medium heat. Let it bubble for a few minutes, then add the roasted nuts to the skillet. Coat the almonds with the honey mixture and heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. (You shouldn't have any liquid left in the skillet when the almonds are done.)

Mix the sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put about 1/4 c. of the mixture into a 9 x 13" baking dish. When the almonds are coated with the honey mixture and are done cooking, transfer them to the 9 x 13" baking dish. Pour the rest of the sugar/salt/cinnamon over the almonds and stir everything up so that all the almonds get coated with the sugar mixture. Transfer the almonds back to the baking sheet and spread them out in one layer again to cool. After they've cooled, break them up a little bit.

Eat them all.

Gingersnaps

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

¾ c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
¼ c. molasses
sugar (for rolling dough in)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix wet ingredients first. Then mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine dry with wet ingredients. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 15 min. at 350 degrees F. Makes about 30-40 cookies.

Snowball Cookies

 Submitted by Laura Hintze

1 c. margarine, softened
½ c. powdered sugar + extra to roll cookies in
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ c. flour
¼ tsp. salt
¾ c. nuts, finely chopped
 
Mix margarine, ½ c. sugar, and vanilla thoroughly. Sift flour and salt together and stir into mixture. Stir in nuts by hand. Chill dough 3-4 hours. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until set but not brown, about 8-10 minutes. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Yield: 35 cookies

Polish Style Apple Pie

Submitted by Kasia Niedzwiedzka

Crust Dough:
400g (3 1/5 c.) flour
120g (about 1 c.) powdered sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
180g butter (a bit less than two sticks)
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. sour cream

Knead everything together.  Separate the dough into two pieces - 3/4 and 1/4 - and put in the fridge for 1 1/2 hours. Then I grate the dough on a grater.

Apple Filling:
6 to 8 apples, peeled and cleaned inside
Cinnamon, as you like - usually about 1 tsp.
Sugar, as you like - I don't add
Raisins and nuts, as you like

Cut apples into pieces (ten per apple). Simmer them with about 1 c. water until soft and mashed (you can leave small pieces). Add cinnamon as you like (usually around 1 tsp.), sugar as you like (I don't add any), raisins and nuts, as you like.

Egg White Foam:
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Beat together.

Layer 3/4 of the dough, then the apples, then foam, then rest of the dough in a 9x9 pan. Bake around 45-55 minutes at 350 F degrees until golden brown.

Balsamic-Glazed Green Beans and Pearl Onions

Submitted by Martha Southwick

1 1/4 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp. butter, divided
6 oz. red pearl onions, halved lengthwise and peeled
1/4 c. fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place beans into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Place beans in a large bowl; set aside. Heat 1 1/2 tsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add broth, vinegar, and sugar; bring to a boil. Simmer 3 minutes or until syrupy. Add beans, remaining 1 1/2 tsp. butter, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serves 8.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Submitted by Julie Ingermanson

3 c. mashed sweet potato (I baked the sweet potatoes & then scooped them out)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Handful of marshmallows

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs & 1/2 c. butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly. Spread mixture into a greased pan (I used a 9x9 square). Mix brown sugar, flour, pecans & 3 Tbsp. butter in bowl & sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle marshmallows over top. Bake 350 F for 30-40 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

Citrus Wassail

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

2 quarts apple juice
2 c. pineapple juice
2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

In a large pot on the stove, whisk together all ingredients. Heat to steaming hot then simmer for 15 minutes, or longer if desired. May be transferred to a crock pot to serve warm. (I suppose you could make it in a crock pot if you have the time to wait for it to heat up.)

Swedish Green Potatoes

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

6 large potatoes (or 8 medium)
1 1/4 c. light cream (or substitute evaporated milk)
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. chives
1 tsp. dried dill
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach partially cooked and well drained

Boil potatoes with skins on until tender. Then remove skins and mash well with potato masher. Beat in butter, cream, salt, sugar, and pepper. Whip until light and fluffy. Add chives, dill, and spinach and whip together. Transfer to casserole dish with lid and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until piping hot. Serves 6-8. This is a Mecham family favorite. This recipe came from the Los Angeles Times more than 50 years ago. Jesse’s great aunt first served it at Thanksgiving dinner that year and it has been a favorite ever since.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Agave Nectar and Fresh Rosemary

Submitted by Meghann Cheney (from Two Peas and their Pod)

3 large sweet potatoes, washed and peeled, cut into cubes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1-2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1-2 tsp. if dried
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, agave nectar, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss. Make sure the potatoes are well coated. Add the fresh rosemary and toss again.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread out the potatoes on the baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Stir the potatoes every 15 minutes. Make sure the potatoes are soft. Serve warm.

Roots to Boot

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 parsnips, chopped
1 peeled rutabaga, chopped (optional)
1-2 turnips, chopped
1 sweet potato, chopped
1-2 regular potatoes, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg or to taste
4 Tbsp. butter
2-4 Tbsp. brown sugar

Spread oil on the bottom of a 9” X 13” pan. Add veggie segments, then salt, nutmeg and other spices sprinkled over the top. Add bits of butter over the top. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees F for one hour. Stir every 15-20 minutes. About 15 minutes before taking out the dish from the oven, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. This recipe was created by my sister-in-law a few years ago.

Summit House Cream Corn

Submitted by Danica Nelson (Summit House recipe)

1 lb. frozen sweet WHITE corn (if you make a double batch you can mix with yellow)
12 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. + Parmesan cheese (can be fancy shredded or green bottle grated kind, doesn't matter)
Pinch of white pepper

First pour your cream into a pot and let it get warm. Add salt, sugar and pepper. Then add the corn - add a little bit, stir, add some more, stir. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. While that's simmering make a rue (I usually put the butter in a cup, melt it in the microwave then add the flour so it doesn't burn). Once your corn is nice and simmered, add rue to corn mix. Mix well then remove from heat. Transfer to a 9x13 casserole dish (the more corn exposed, the more cheese on top, and that's the best part). Cover the top with your parmesan cheese (which is why it may be more than 3 Tbsp. - the more the better!). Broil it for a couple minutes until it starts to barely brown. Serves 6.

Stuffing Balls

Submitted by Kate Waldie

2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
1 tsp. butter

8-10 c. course dry bread crumbs (about 20 slices)***
1 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
(Optional: 1 (6 oz.) pkg. Craisins)

3 large eggs, fork beaten
1 1/2 c. water or chicken broth
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

Saute onion and celery in butter until onion is soft and clear.  Combine bread crumbs, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Add eggs and water. Stir. Add onion mixture and mix well.

Shape into balls using either a 1/2 c. or 1/3 c. (depending on preferred size) and arrange in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.  Drizzle melted butter.  Bake at 350 F degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden.

***I use fresh bread and dry it out on a cooking sheet in the oven (at 250 F degrees) for about 15 minutes.

Makes approx. 24 balls

Christmas Raspberry Crunch

Submitted by Lissa Rucker (Lion House Christmas Cookbook)

2 c. crushed pretzels
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 (12 oz.) carton whipped topping
1 (16 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (6 oz.) package raspberry gelatin
3 c. boiling water
1 (10 oz.) bag frozen raspberries
Whipped cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Crush pretzels with rolling pin; combine with sugar and melted butter in a small bowl.  Press into bottom of 9x13" baking pan.  Bake 5 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.  Mix in whipped topping, then fold in drained pineapple.  Spread mixture onto cooled pretzel crust.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in frozen raspberries and place gelatin in refrigerator until syrupy, about 30 minutes.  Pour over cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate until set.  Garnish with whipped cream.

Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden)

Submitted by Lissa Rucker

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
½ lb. smoked bacon - chopped
1 qt. water
2 14 oz. cans (about 3⅔ cups) chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1 medium onion - peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.  In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.  Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Sweet Potato Minestrone Turkey Soup

Submitted by Kari-Lynn Tarleton

3/4 lb. ground spicy Italian turkey sausage

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

3/4 cup sliced celery

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

2 cups diced sweet potato

2 cans Italian season diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can great northern beans, drained, rinsed

Cook sausage, onion an celery in skillet until meat is done.  Add with remaining ingredients in slow cooker.  Cook on high 4-5 hours until potatoes are tender.  Enjoy!  Serves 8-10

Chicken Noodle Soup

Submitted by Laura Lopez

Noodles:

2 beaten eggs
4 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cup flour

Beat eggs and milk together add salt and slowly add flour. Knead dough for 10 minutes. Then let it stand for 20 minutes.  (You do not need a pasta press; if you have one then that's fine too.) I roll mine out on the counter with plenty of flour underneath. Then take a pizza cutter and thinly slice long strands. I then rub flour on top of dough, pull them apart and add to soup mixture.

Chicken Soup:

Earlier in the day boil chicken. When finished, I like to let the chicken cool down in the water. You can also set it in the fridge to pull apart later if needs be. I use the broth that the chicken was boiled in, because it adds more flavor. I then add in 1 Tbsp. of chicken bouillon to the water and garlic salt to taste. It's really just a chicken broth you're doing. So you can add whatever you want to it. Slice up some carrots and anything else. My mom always did celery but I hate the stuff :) Add noodles, let cook on med-high for about 30 minutes until noodles are cooked through. Then add chicken 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Stew in a Pumpkin

Submitted Rachel Meacham

2 lbs. beef stew meat, cubed
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1-2 cups water
3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice from can
2 Tbsp. beef bouillon granules
A 10-12 lb. pumpkin

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large pot over med-high heat. Place beef in pot and cook until evenly browned. Mix in the water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 2 hours (covered), stirring occasionally.

Dissolve the bouillon into soup. Stir in tomatoes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut top off pumpkin and scrape out seeds and pulp with a sturdy spoon. Place pumpkin in a heavy baking pan (or on a cookie sheet). Fill pumpkin with stew mixture. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. (You may draw a jack-o-lantern face onto the outside of the pumpkin with permanant marker before brushing oil on, if you want to, for Halloween).

Bake stew in pumpkin with top of pumpkin back on in oven for 1-2 hours or until pumpkin is tender. Serve stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin "meat" with each serving, if desired.

Tortellini Soup

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

1 pound Italian sausage
(use ½ mild, ½ hot if desired; see Notes)
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cups beef broth (see Notes)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
½ tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 cups cheese-filled tortellini
1 ½ cups sliced zucchini
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

In large soup pot, brown sausage over medium heat. Remove sausage and drain all but 1
tsp. remaining fat from pot. (If sausage is very lean, you may need to add a little olive oil
to prevent sticking and burning.) Sauté onion and garlic in pot. Add beef broth, red wine
vinegar, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, sausage and 2 cups water. Bring
to boil, then reduce heat to simmer 30 minutes, uncovered. Skim fat. Stir in zucchini and
parsley. Simmer covered 15 minutes. Add tortellini and simmer five more minutes, or
until tortellini is al dente. Add more water if soup becomes too thick.

Notes: If using canned beef broth, you could substitute water for half of it to cut sodium,
if desired. Substitute turkey sausage to trim fat.

Makes 8 servings.

Quick and Easy Breadsticks

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

3 ½ cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ cube margarine
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 ½ cups hot water
1 tsp. salt
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Garlic salt (optional)

Mix together two cups of flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the hot water and the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Let rise until double.

Roll out in a rectangle, pour ¼ cube of margarine (melted) onto dough. Top with garlic and cheese if desired. Cut into strips, double over and twist. Melt ¼ cube of margarine in 9x13 pan. Place twisted dough in pan. Sprinkle more cheese and garlic on top.

EASY METHOD: Spread 2 Tbsp. margarine onto baking sheet. Roll dough out onto baking sheet and form a rectangle. Cut into strips. Spread 2 Tbsp. melted margarine on top of dough. Top with garlic salt and cheese.

Let it rise. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

French Onion Soup

Submitted by Danica Nelson

4 medium yellow onions
3 Tbsp. margarine
2 cans Campbell's Beef Consomme
2 cans water
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. flour (dissolved in a little water)
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted French or Sourdough bread slices with shredded swiss cheese

Cut onions in half, then slice crosswise.  Saute onions in margarine until golden.  Add consomme and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and add garlic powder and parmesan cheese.  Stir in flour and water mixture.  Simmer not less than 30 minutes.  Adjust salt and pepper.  Serve in ovenproof bowls with toast and cheese on top.  Broil a couple minutes until cheese has melted.  (I dried out the bread before I added cheese and broiled so that it would take longer to get soggy - heat oven to 350 and bake for about 5 minutes on each side, or until hard/crispy.)

Baked Potato Soup

Submitted by Kate Waldie

Adapted from http://ourbestbites.com

3 Tbsp. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flour
4 1/2 cup low fat milk
1 14 oz. can chicken broth
5 medium baking potatoes, baked (I microwave mine)
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup low fat or fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (make extra for garnish)

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Slowly stir in half the chicken broth. Add flour to pan a little bit at a time whisking constantly. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add the rest of the chicken broth. Make sure at this point your soup is 'lump-free'. Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into a medium bowl and squish with a potato masher and then put in the pot and stir. Add grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream, green onions, and crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of green onions, cheese, and bacon.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Submitted by Lili Barbosa
From Ourbestbites.com, with some modifications by Lili

1/3 c. (3 oz.) cream cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp. lime juice (1/2 lime)
1/2 onion or 1 whole small onion
2 cloves pressed garlic
Cholula Hot Sauce (Chili Garlic), approx. 2 swigs
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions (Lili's trick: cut up the green onions and cilantro and put together in a plastic tupperware and keep in freezer to use in the next batch.)

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 c. shredded cooked chicken (for extra yumminess, use grilled taco chicken!) - I use 3 chicken breasts

1 c. grated pepperjack cheese (I use mozzarella because that's usually what I already have and I usually add about 2 c. because I love cheese!)

Small corn tortillas (I use flour and if you use fresh tortillas from Costco, they cook way faster, like 8 min. or less)

Kosher salt (I've wanted to try this, but always chicken out last minute because we don't eat a lot of salt.)

Cooking spray

Heat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. (I just use pizza pans with the holes, no foil.)  Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir.  Saute the garlic and onions then add the shredded chicken.  In another bowl, combine: Roma tomatoes, cilantro and green onions.  Add the chicken, onions and garlic.  Add lime juice and chili sauce, then stir in the cream cheese and shredded cheese.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time.  Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking.  It helps to place them between damp paper towels.  Usually 20-30 seconds will do it.  If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 Tbsp. of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

The ones pictured below are actually flour tortillas - which I found out I like just as well (maybe even better!) than corn ones.

Dip ‘em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.

Makes 12-16

Mexican Rice

Submitted by Laura Hintze

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cup long grain rice
3 cup chicken broth
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp. salt

Heat butter and oil over medium high heat and saute onion and garlic.  Add rest of ingredients, bring to a boil and let simmer until rice is tender.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

 

Submitted by Rachel Meacham

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white shoepeg corn, drained
6-8 fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped finely
4-8 oz Zesty Italian Dressing

Stir all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve with tortilla chips.

(Note: I usually make this salsa using the Zesty Italian Dressing, but for the cooking club I tried something new using a mixture of olive oil, red wine vinaigrette, salt, pepper, and lime juice. I think I actually like the recipe the original way better--using the Zesty Italian Dressing.)

Pico de Gallo

Submitted by Kate Waldie

4-5 medium roma tomatoes, diced very fine
3-4 green onions, chopped
~1 Tbsp. yellow onion, minced
1 can (4 oz.) green chilies
~1/2 bunch cilantro, washed & chopped
~1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. white sugar
1-2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients well. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour before serving.

Low-Calorie Cafe Rio Dressing

Submitted by Danica Nelson

1 packet of dry ranch dressing mix
1 10-oz. can of green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/4 cup light mayonnaise (35 cal. per Tbsp.)
1 cup 1% milk
1 bunch cilantro, chopped (I don't use the stems, but you could)
Jalapeno to taste (I use about 3-4 slices from a jar)
Juice of one lime
Garlic, salt, Splenda to taste

Blend in your blender (the ranch dressing mix will thicken the dressing). When well mixed, add water to bring mixture to the 4-cup line. This will make 64 Tbsp. at 9 calories each!  Yummy on Mexican-style salads, burritos, fresh tortillas, etc.

Pico de Gallo

Submitted by Laura Lopez

6 tomatoes
1/3 yellow onion
1 cup cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, add seeds for extra spiciness
1 Tbsp. garlic salt
1/2 squeezed fresh lime

Dice tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and cilantro finely. Mix well. Add garlic, and finish with lime. Stir and for best results let all flavors blend together. Let salsa sit in fridge until ready to serve.

Lola's Horchata

Submitted by Shauna Hinckley

From Allrecipes.com…tweaked by Shauna

1+ cup uncooked white long-grain rice
5 cups water
½-1 cup milk (or coconut milk to make this lactose-free)
½ Tbsp. vanilla extract
2-3 cinnamon sticks or 1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar

Soak the rice, water, and one or two cinnamon sticks in a large container in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Remove the cinnamon sticks. Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours. Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice (or save it to make rice pudding or something). Mix the sugar with some water, microwave it until the sugar is dissolved into the water and it makes a thin syrup. Stir the milk, vanilla, and sugar syrup into the rice water. If using ground cinnamon, stir that in now or float another cinnamon stick if desired. Chill and stir before serving.

Sopapillas & Dulche de Leche

Submitted by Lili Barbosa

Sopapillas

1 ¾ cup plain flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup milk
Hot vegetable oil for frying
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Honey or caramel – optional, recipe below

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the milk and knead for 1 minute on floured surface. Let dough set for one hour. Roll dough into large rectangle 1/8” thickness. Use a pizza cutter to cut 2” wide strips of dough, then cut strips into 2” squares, then cut squares diagonally in half. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow baking dish and set aside. Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in deep fryer. When oil reaches 375 degrees, drop dough triangles into hot oil. They should rise to the surface, and puff, then brown on the bottom very quickly. Use tongs to quickly turn sopapillas over. When dough is golden brown on both sides, remove from oil carefully, and place on paper towels. While sopapillas are still very warm, put them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and spoon mixture over sopapillas to thoroughly coat them.

Milk Caramel (DULCHE de LECHE)

Purchase any brand of sweetened condensed milk. Place two inches of water in a pressure cooker and place up to four cans of sweetened condensed milk in the pressure cooker. Close lid securely. Put on high heat until the steam cap begins to jiggle, then turn burner down to low heat. Cook on low flame for 30 minutes for a light-colored caramel or up to 45 minutes for dark caramel. You may alternately cook these in a regular pot of water. Just fill to above the level of the cans and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 2 hours. Keep an eye on the water level so it remains just above the cans. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Take cans out of pressure cooker and allow to cool some more. Open and ENJOY!

S'More Brownies

Submitted by Laura Hintze

10 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken in half (20 squares), divided
3/4 cup butter or margarine
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
2-1/2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks

HEAT oven to 350°F.

LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place 15 grahams in pan, with sides overlapping slightly. Break remaining grahams into pieces.

MICROWAVE butter and chocolate squares in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min.; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour. Pour over grahams in pan.

BAKE 30 to 32 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Sprinkle with marshmallows and chocolate chunks. Bake 3 to 5 min. or until marshmallows begin to puff. Press reserved graham pieces gently into marshmallows. Cool. Use foil to lift brownies from pan before cutting to serve.

Gooey Butter Cookies

(This picture doesn't do these cookies justice.  These were eaten so quickly I only had time to snap a picture of the last lonely cookie.)

Submitted by Klixi Cannon

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

8 oz cream cheese (I used Strawberry Cream Cheese)

1 egg

1 Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 tsp vanilla

Powdered Sugar



Let butter and cream cheese soften. Add cake mix, egg and vanilla. Mix until everything is moist. Refrigerate 30 minutes until dough is firm. Roll cookie balls in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden.

Homemade Tootsie Rolls

Submitted by Rachel Mecham



2 Tbsp. butter, softened

½ c. baking cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla¾ c. instant dry powdered milk (not prepared)

½ c. corn syrup

Waxed paper, cut into 3 x 3 inch squares



Mix all ingredients with a spoon and then knead with hands like bread. Roll into rope shapes. Cut into pieces and wrap individually in waxed paper. No need for baking!

Souvlaki (Lebanese "Not Tacos")

Submitted by Shauna Hinckley

1 lb. ground beef

2 pieces of bread, dried and crumbled

¼ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

¼- ½ tsp. thyme

½ medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves finely chopped garlic

2 tsp. rosemary

1 small can tomato sauce

2 T. Water

¼- ½ tsp. oregano


Cook the first six ingredients in a small amount of oil in a frying pan. When the meat is browned, add in the onion, garlic, and rosemary. When the onions are starting to turn clear, add the remaining ingredients and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until it isn’t too soupy. Serve in pita bread with these toppings: lettuce, cheese, sour cream, black olives, avocado.

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream

Submitted by Wendy Holt
Recipe by Our Best Bites



1 baguette or similar-sized French bread loaf

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon



1-1/2 C diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)

1 C finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango)

1 C finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwi)



1/2 C Breakstone’s Sour Cream

3 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp orange zest



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.

While bread is toasting, combine Breakstone’s Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine and place in the fridge.

Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine. When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture. If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

Pesto Pasta

Submitted by Liliane Reis


Pesto sauce


2 cups of fresh basil leaves

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup of walnuts

1 cup of olive oil

6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

1 cube of ice (helps to maintain the color of the leaves)

salt as you like



Mix everything together in the blender. Add to cooked pasta. Separate some walnuts and Parmesan cheese to cover the pasta when it is ready. Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

Submitted by Laura Hintze
Ingredients:

1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour

4-serving size pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix

3/4 C. chocolate chips

2/3 C. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 C. milk

1/2 C. cooking oil

1 tsp. vanilla or 1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 C. cream cheese frosting (recipe to follow)

Green-colored sugar


Instructions: Grease muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, pudding mix, chocolate pieces, sugar, baking powder, and salt. in a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla or almond extract. Stir into flour mixture just until combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with green sugar.

Yield: 18 cupcakes


Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1/8 C. butter, softened

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 oz. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

food coloring (if desired)


Instructions: Cream butter and cream cheese. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add vanilla and food coloring.

Spinach Salad

Submitted by Lissa Rucker

Salad dressing:

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1 T. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper


*Use with salad of baby spinach leaves, bacon (I used Turkey bacon), hard boiled eggs (sliced) and red onions (sliced and optional).

Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad

Submitted by Lindsay Curtis

Lawrys season salt

Buttermilk ranch

16 oz bowtie pasta

1 cup frozen peas (run hot water over and let drain

1/2 bunch green onions, sliced

1 1/2 cups cashews

2 cups cooked and cubes chicken

1/4 cup diced red pepper

1 cup celery



Mix about 1 cup of ranch dressing ( you can add more if like it saucy) with the season salt( about 1/2 a teaspoon or to taste). Combine the rest of ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing mixture and serve. Note: add cashews right before serving to keep them crunchy, enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

2 eggs
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter, melted
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)
1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Beat eggs until foamy.  Add flour and sugars; beat well.  Add butter and stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Pour into pie shell and bake at 325 degrees for one hour.

I prefer this pie cold after it's been in the fridge overnight.  If you serve it warm, it's amazing with a scoop of ice cream and some hot fudge on top.

It's Easy Being Green

Last night we met at Laura's to discuss ways we can make our kitchen habits more earth-friendly.  We talked about organic foods, nutrition, and green kitchen tips.  Here's the low-down:


What organic means:


• Animals have not been treated with: antibiotics, growth hormones, or feed made from animal byproducts.

• Animals must have been fed organic feed for at least a year.

• Animals must have access to the outdoors.

• Food hasn't been genetically modified or irradiated.

• Fertilizer does not contain sewage sludge or synthetic ingredients.

• Produce hasn't been contaminated with synthetic chemicals used as pesticides.


What the labels mean:

• “100% Organic”: Product must contain 100 percent organic ingredients.

• “Organic”: At least 95 percent of ingredients are organically produced.

• “Made with Organic Ingredients”: At least 70 percent of ingredients are organic. The remaining 30 percent must come from the USDA’s approved list.

• “Free-range” or “Free-roaming”: Misleading term applied to chicken, eggs and other meat. The animal did not necessarily spend a good portion of its life outdoors. The rule states only that outdoor access be made available for “an undetermined period each day.” U.S. government standards are weak in this area.

• “Natural” or “All Natural”: Does not mean organic. There is no standard definition for this term except with meat and poultry products. (USDA defines “natural” as not containing any artificial flavoring, colors, chemical preservatives, or synthetic ingredients). The claim is not verified. The producer or manufacturer alone decides whether to use it.


The “Dirty Dozen”: Must-buy organic foods

Fruit

• Apples

• Cherries

• Grapes, imported (Chili)

• Nectarines

• Peaches

• Pears

• Raspberries

• Strawberries

Vegetables

• Bell peppers

• Celery

• Potatoes

• Spinach

The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that even after washing, some fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others. Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, researchers at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., have developed the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables, above, that they say you should always buy organic, if possible, because their conventionally grown counterparts tend to be laden with pesticides. They cost about 50 percent more — but are well worth the money.


Other organic foods worth considering:


• Milk

• Beef

• Poultry

Reduce the risk of exposure to the agent believed to cause mad cow disease and minimize exposure to other potential toxins in non-organic feed. These foods contain no hormones, and antibiotics — which have been linked to increased antibacterial resistance in humans — have not been added to the food. They often cost 100 percent more than conventional products.

No need to go organic with these foods:

Fruit

• Bananas

• Kiwi

• Mangos

• Papaya

• Pineapples


Vegetables

• Asparagus

• Avocado

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Corn

• Onions

• Peas
These products generally do not contain pesticide residue. [Source.]


Are organic foods more nutritious? Not necessarily. Research has been mixed.  If you compare labels you will see that there's not a significant difference between organic and conventional foods.  Using organic ingredients doesn't automatically make something healthy.  For example, you can find organic Poptarts in the grocery store.  A Poptart is a Poptart.  Eat a banana.
 
Are organics better for the environment? Not always. Organic does not mean “local.” Something can be organic, but shipped from Chile, so you’re not decreasing your carbon footprint by buying it.

Do organics taste better? Not necessarily.  I conducted a few blind taste tests on my family.  In most cases, they couldn't taste a difference between the organic food and the conventional food.  Sometimes the organic tasted better.  Many organic snacks you find at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods taste like cardboard.  The only way to know is to try it. 

Most grocery stores offer organic products.  Sappington Farmer's Market and Costco offer them in bulk, so they don't cost as much. 

So, what DOES make a difference?

• Buy local. The further your food has to travel, the more pesticides are used to preserve it. The further your food has to travel, the bigger your carbon footprint.

• Buy produce in season. It will taste better and cost less. Sappington Farmer's Market has a great website that includes a chart of what's in season here in St. Louis.

• Use fresh, whole, and pure ingredients. Whole wheat, pure maple syrup, pure honey, fresh fruits and vegetables, and real cheese are best options.

• Cut out processed foods.

• Make your own food. Anything you make yourself will be cheaper and healthier than what you buy at a restaurant.

• Plant a garden and preserve your food or buy local produce in season and preserve it. (Canning, drying, freezing.)



Just a few GREEN kitchen tips:
 
1. Compost. Keep a small bucket on your counter. Compost food leftovers along with ground coffee, crushed eggshells and even dust or hair from your vacuum.


2. Get Cooking! Make large batches and freeze some for later. You use less energy. Buy local. Eat meat-free once a week, because producing a pound of beef consumes 145 times more fossil fuels than a pound of potatoes.

3. Lose the wrapping. Why opt for cellophane-wrapped vegetables in their plastic trays, when you can buy them loose instead, which is, incidentally, a much cheaper option as well? By buying in bulk, you might pay a bit more for that huge can of olive oil, but there is one less bottle to recycle every month and it saves money in the long run. Leave a bar of soap by the sink, as most liquid soap comes in non-renewable plastic packaging. Substituting one bottle with a bar in each home would keep more than 2.5 million pounds of plastic out of landfills. Consider how much trash a package of Kraft Singles creates compared to a block of real cheese.

4. Recycle. Duh.  Check the number on the bottom of recyclable materials.  The lower the number, the less it costs to remanufacture.  (Hint: Five is on the higher side.)

5. Use reusable grocery bags. They hold more and you will have less to carry and less trash.

6. Keep baking soda, vinegar, and salt on hand to use as natural cleaners that are better for the environment and not as harsh on your surfaces.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Submitted by Rachel Mecham



Ingredients:

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) (drained and rinsed)

1 can vegetarian baked beans and sauce

1 can diced tomatoes and juice

1 can whole kernel corn (drained)

1 can tomato paste

1 cup water

1 small onion, chopped

½ - 1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 teaspoons chili powder

½ teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

Stir all ingredients together well in a large crock pot. Cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. Garnish with shredded cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Stew

Submitted by Laura Hintze
Ingredients

Veggies

¨ 1 lb. cauliflower

¨ 1 lb. celery

¨ 1 lb. potatoes

¨ 1 lb. broccoli

¨ 1 lb. carrots

¨ ½ lb. onion



Sauce

¨ 1 qt. milk

¨ 1 qt. half & half

¨ 1 lb. Velveeta cheese

¨ ¼ lb. butter or margarine

¨ ¼ C. flour

¨ ¼ C. cornstarch



Instructions

Veggies

Chop cauliflower, celery, broccoli, and onions. Peel and cube potatoes and carrots.  Cook vegetables together in the minimum amount of water necessary (to conserve vitamins) until tender.


Sauce

Combine milk, half & half, cheese, and butter or margarine. Thicken with flour and cornstarch. Season to taste.

Drain most of the water from the veggies and combine with sauce.

Amy's Hot Fudge Sauce

Submitted by Emily Daniel (recipe by Amy Parent)
Reheats well, you can bottle it and give it as a gift, (or how awesome would your emergency food storage be with this around?!) and it compliments angel food cake, cheese cake, and almost any ice cream.



1 bag or 2 c. chocolate pieces. My favorites are a nice, reputable dark chocolate (what I usually use) or milk chocolate chips.



1/2 c. butter



2/3 to 1 c. sugar, really to taste. I wouldn't go less than 2/3 c.



1 (10-12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk. ('Cause skim makes it low-fat.)



Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until boiling. Reduce heat to low boil and stir constantly 5-8 min. May be stored in fridge and reheats rapidly in microwave.



Optional flavorings: After boiling, you may add 1/4 c. peanut butter. You may also like it with cinnamon or a dash of hot pepper.

Greek Spinach and Cheese Pie

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell

Filling

1 10oz. pkg. fresh spinach, washed and chopped

½ lb. feta cheese, crumbled

¼ lb. Swiss cheese, grated

¼ c. Parmesan cheese, grated

12 green onions, chopped

¼ c. fresh parsley or 1 heaping T. dried parsley

4 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ c. butter, melted

3 T. olive oil

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper





Crust:

12 sheets filo pastry OR Pie crust dough (enough for 2 pies)

¼ c. butter, melted



Combine all the filling ingredients.



Filo Method:

Brush the bottom of a 9X13 pan with melted butter. Then, brushing each with melted butter, place 6 sheets of filo in the bottom of the pan. Add the spinach-cheese mixture to the pan. Again, buttering between each layer, add 6 more sheets of filo to serve as a top crust. Score through the top crust only, lengthwise, to vent pita. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.



Pie Crust Method:

Roll out pie-crust very thin and line the bottom and sides of a 9x13” baking dish. Place the spinach-cheese mixture into the crust. Roll out remaining dough and make a cover. Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes.