Apple Pie - A fall favorite!

The photo doesn't do it justice, I should have taken a photo of one slice so you could see the yummy inside, but alas...it's gone! From Betty Crocker's New Cookbook:

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of salt
8 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (about 8 medium)

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in apples. Turn into pastry lined pie plate.

Sprinkle apple mixture with Crumb Topping: Mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup firm stick butter until crumbly. Cover topping with aluminum foil during last 10 mins of baking to prevent excessive browning. Bake 50 mins. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Doggie Treats

This is a really easy treat recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker. I got the rice flour just for these, which is perfect since my Roxy can't deal with wheat. And she looooves both pumpkin and peanut butter. Today has been one of those cold, dreary winter days that I just felt like baking. I tried one out of curiosity and they are really not bad. A friend came over and ate one before I could explain that they are for the dog (hehe) and thought that with a little sugar or frosting.... :) Now I just need a dog bone cookie cutter so that my homemade treats will be more self explanatory!

3 cups brown rice flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350° F. In large bowl stir all ingredients until soft dough forms.
2. Divide dough in half. Using brown-rice-floured rolling pin, roll each dough half to 1/2 inch thickness on brown-rice-floured surface.
Cut with 3-inch cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until dry and golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely,
about 30 minutes.
4. Store in dog treat jar at room temperature up to 1 week. For longer storage keep in refrigerator or freezer.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Start to Finish: 1 Hour 35 Minutes Makes: 36 puppy treats

Getting Creative with Turkey Leftovers

In an effort to make good use of the turkey without resorting to yet another sandwich, I made these quesadillas and they were great!

Take 2 cups shredded turkey and add in 1/4 cup salsa.
Spread leftover sweet potato casserole onto some large flour tortillas, add the turkey/salsa mix, sprinkle with shredded cheese, cover with another tortilla, and bake until cheese is melted (about 10 minutes at 350 degrees). You can also pop them into a skillet and turn, but it gets a bit messy.
Enjoy!

Sesame Ginger Pork Tenderloin Recipe

One of my family's favorite basics, modified from many trial and error moments. Great with wide variety of side dishes. Serves 3-4 depending on how many teenage boys are involved.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce

• 1¼ pounds boneless (or bone-in chops good, too) pork tenderloin chops
  

Marinate pork in above ingredients for at least 1 hour (while refrigerated). Better if 8 hours, but who has time for all that? These are really good grilled but also nice when seared in cast iron skillet, then baked in 375 degree oven until temperature reading of 160-165. Works well with a whole tenderloin as well.

yum!

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Crinkles

A great Christmas cookie recipe from the "I Love Peanut Butter Cookbook":

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Sift flour with baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix peanut butter with shortening in a separate bowl. Add both sugars to peanut butter mixture, and cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill for 10 minutes. Shoot from cookie gun or shape into balls onto cookie sheet (2 inches apart). Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Veggie Cheese Enchiladas

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• Salt
• 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 3 cups salsa, store-bought or home-made
• 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Sour cream and avocado for serving (optional)
  

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and season well with salt. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add 1/2 cup of the salsa and mix until well combined.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels or in a microwave-safe plastic bag and microwave until soft and heated through, about 45 seconds.

Spread half of the remaining salsa in the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. To make an enchilada, put 2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese in the middle of a tortilla. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, in the prepared dish. Repeat to make 12 enchiladas.

Cover the enchiladas with the remaining salsa and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until the filling is heated through, cheese is melted and starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with sour cream and avocado.

My son is not a big mushroom fan, but he loved these! A great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. I'm thinking about trying green peppers next time, maybe a little garlic for fun. I topped mine and my husband's with some jalapeno peppers but left those off the kiddo's. Super delish!

No Crust Mini Quiche

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped, cooked broccoli
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
butter for greasing tins
5 eggs
8 ounces milk

Divide veggies and cheese into two buttered 12 cup nonstick mini muffin tins. Combine eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper, then pour mixture into tins. Bake at 350 degrees until browned and puffy, about 15 minutes

Peach Salsa

Chop one peach, one tomato, and one small onion in small pieces. Add tsp.
chopped cilantro if desired. Dress with 1 tablespoon balsalmic vinegar and 1
tablespoon olive oil.

Serve over pork chops or chicken breasts. Easy, colorful, and delicious!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled slightly
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin openings with paper liners. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves,and ginger into a medium bowl & set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on med-low, beat the melted butter, sugar, and pumpkin until smoothly blended. Mix in the eggs. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture until it's incorporated. The batter will be thick.
Fill each paper liner with a generous 1/4 cup of batter, to about 1/2 in. below the top. Bake until toothpick comes clean, about 25 mins. Cool completely before frosting.
These turned out sooo yummy!!

Polenta Recipe

3/4 Cup corn meal
3 Cups water
pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F. Stir corn meal and salt into water with a whisk in a covered casserole dish. Or into an 8X8" pan, which you then cover with aluminum foil.

Bake 15 minutes. Stir with that whisk. Bake 15 minutes more, add a bit of milk if you need to loosen it up.

At this point you can serve it up or add some goodies such as:
Fresh, chopped parsley or other herbs
Diced tomatoes and oregano and/or basil
Garlic
Sun-dried tomatoes
Cheese
Mushrooms and peppers
Onions

Pistachio Ice Cream (No Ice Cream Maker Required!)

What You Need:

1/2 C sugar

1/4 t salt

1 C of milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 T vanilla

2 C whipping cream, chilled

1/2 C pistachios, chopped

1/2 t almond extract

1/2 t green food coloring

How to Make It:

Dump the sugar into a heavy duty saucepan.
Sprinkle the salt over the sugar.

Pour the milk into the saucepan and stir to combine. Add the egg yolks and stir until all the ingredients are combined together well.

Place the pan over medium heat and stirring constantly cook 3 minutes or until bubbles begin to appear around the edges.

Remove the pan from the stove and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Stir the vanilla into the cooled mixture.

Pour the ice cream into a refrigerator try and place in the freezer 45 minutes or until mushy.

Place 2 bowls in the refrigerator to chill.

Add the whipping cream to the chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form.

Spoon the partially frozen ice cream mixture into the second chilled bowl.

Beat with the mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Fold the whipped cream into the mixture well.

Add the pistachios, the almond extract and the food coloring blending well.

Pour the ice cream evenly into 2 refrigerator trays and cover with wax paper.

Freeze at least 3 hours or until firm stirring the ice cream mixture about every 10 minutes for the first hour of freezing time.

Makes 1 quart of ice cream

To make this ice cream in a crank style ice cream maker, follow the above directions to where you add the vanilla. Add the vanilla, whipping cream, pistachios, extract and food coloring blending them in well. Pour 1/2 of the mixture into the freezer can of ice cream maker. Fill the freezer tub 1/3 full of ice and then add the remaining ice cream. Crank until it becomes too difficult to turn. Drain off water, replace the lid and allow the ice cream to ripen for at least 4 hours.

Grandma's Rhubarb Jelly

This jelly is so good, easy, and makes great use of rhubarb! I'm a little rhubarb crazy, because it's such a unique vegetable that we sweeten and use as a fruit! And it's easy to grow. And I have lots and lots of it. I just got the recipe from my Grandma because I wanted new ways to make use of my rhubarb and have always loved her jelly! So here it is:

5 cups rhubarb, chopped
5 cups sugar
1 large (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice (this is the secret ingredient!!)

Cook above ingredients for about 20 minutes. Stir until dissolved a 6 oz package of Strawberry gelatin into the mixture. Seal into jars while still hot.

Watermelon Salad Recipe

Watermelon has always been the quintessential food for 4th of July weekend for me. Every year, we go to my grandparents' house and always have watermelon. Sunshine, family, and watermelon. Here's a recipe that has an interesting blend of sweet and salty. Very easy and very refreshing. Super fun salad for the 4th of July. What do you think?

• 1 (5 ounce) package salad greens
• 8 cups watermelon cubes (I used a melon baller)
• 1 (7 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Toss together, add some freshly cracked pepper if desired. Enjoy!

Easy Pasta Salad

This is the recipe from the Salad Supreme container. I've made it so many times over the years, and always love it. Great for summer picnics, Fourth of July Barbecues, anytime you want to add a bit of punch to your meal. Add whatever vegetables you have on hand. I especially like to use the tricolor pasta, but didn't have any this time.

Mix together:
1 lb. cooked pasta
8 oz. Italian dressing
4 TB McCormick Salad Supreme
Assorted chopped fresh vegetables

Store in refrigerator. Gets even better overnight as the flavors have time to fully integrate.

Shrimp Lemon Pepper Pasta

Need ideas for Monday night dinner? This one's quick and easy to make, and really yummy. I was going to take a picture of the finished dish, but we ate it before anything like that could take place!

• 1 (8 ounce) package pasta (I used penne)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 9 to 13 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and saute garlic about 1 minute. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced by about 1/2.
3. Mix shrimp, butter, parsley, and basil into the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in the cooked pasta, and continue cooking 2 minutes, until well coated.

Serves 4
recipe found at allrecipes.com

Yogurt Making Part 2

Turns out it's really easy to make your own yogurt. I was buying packs of individual yogurt cups weekly until I got the EasiYo Yogurt Maker for my birthday. yay! Now I can make my own, and it lasts in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks with no wasteful plastic cups and no added preservatives. Since I have a little every day for breakfast or afternoon snack, it lasted me a week for my first batch. Now I have batch #2 brewing. My son likes the homemade yogurt because it doesn't have fruit chunks in it (something about chunky yogurt really hits him wrong LOL). This yogurt maker is basically a thermos that keeps the culture/water mixture warm long enough to become thick yogurt. You can make it yourself without the yogurt maker on the stove, too, apparently, but you have to keep an eye on it for hours. With this contraption, I mix the packet of powdered culture with water, put it in the "thermos" thing, and leave it overnight. And magically, it turns to yogurt just like that! I tried making smoothies yesterday with my yogurt, crushed ice, and fruit juice, and they were really delicious. Soon I'd like to try making Greek yogurt and using it for cucumber sauce with our version of homemade gyros. yum!! And of course, I intend to try using some plain yogurt as a facial mask...love my homemade masks. Any good yogurt recipes you'd like to share?

Rhubarb Bread

With our rhubarb plant ready to burst with fruit, I started hunting out some recipes to make use of it. I love rhubarb pies, but thought I might do something different this year. I found a delicious recipe for Rhubarb Bread that I decided to try...and now share:

1 cup milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cups vegetable oil
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour whole wheat or white
1 tsp flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 325, grease two 9x5 loaf pans (or one 8x8 which is what I used & it worked out great). In a small bowl combine milk, lemon juice, and vanilla, let stand for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, oil and egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda, stir into mixture alternately with milk mixture until just combined. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the loaves. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Rhubarb must be the easiest plant to grow, or maybe it's just perfectly suited to this Michigan climate because I don't do a *thing* to it and every Spring get a beautiful crop. This recipe makes a delicious bread, and much like other fruit breads, it's more like a cake. It passed the kid and husband test, and is great for breakfast or dessert. :)

Recipe courtesy of http://www.portlandfoodie.com

Decadent Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies for Mom

Planning a Mother's Day brunch? I have been looking around for some fun, tasty recipes for Mother's Day that would be relatively quick for my "boys" to put together. I found this yummy sounding recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies. Sounds like a great way to start Mother's Day to me, what do you think?

* 2 cups frozen sliced strawberries
* 1/2 cup non-fat milk
* 1/2 cup pineapple juice
* 1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
* 1 Tbsp. semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation:

1. Place frozen strawberries in the blender or food processor first.

2. Add milk and juice. Top with remaining ingredients.

3. Puree until smooth, stopping to push fruit down into the blades of the blender, if necessary.

Makes 2 servings.
(original recipe found here: http://tinyurl.com/54qfpt)

The Juice Fountain & Facial Maker

We just recently purchased the Breville Juice Fountain Plus. Quite a cool machine. Easier to clean than the cheaper juicer I had years ago (which I ended up rarely using because clean up was such a major pain). Now I'm having so much fun learning how to mix all kinds of fruits and vegetables to make healthy, yummy juices! I like to add a little crushed ice and a touch of milk to make it like a smoothie, but I'm thinking yogurt would be really good, too. My son likes to use it, because he loves smooshing stuff up, so he ends up getting more fruit and veggies in his diet this way. I've read that fresh juice retains more of the vitamins and nutrients than store bought juice. It certainly seems to give me a natural little "pick me up". My fav is apple, carrot and orange together. I threw in a little celery a few times, too, (ramping up to more veggies) and also strawberries and raspberries. And you can use the pulp in cooking (to make soups and such) and also as facial masks! I used the leftover apple, strawberry, raspberry pulp and mixed it with a little honey, and had a great instant facial mask. Full of antioxidants and natural fruit AHA's and enzymes, it made my skin look and feel wonderful. I've used fruit masks quite a bit, but if you've never tried it, it's an odd experience the first time. I try to do it when my husband and son are not around, because they tease me incessantly. I almost took a picture of my face slathered in fruit pulp but I just couldn't bring myself to do it! I had a really good goatee look going with a long bit of strawberry hanging from my chin, too. LOL I admit it's amusing to look at, but it sure does work well. Back to the juice, someone on Twitter recommended I try some grapes in the juicer, so that's on my shopping list for this week. Any other suggestions for good juicing recipes?

Cilantro Sauce Recipe

This is the easiest sauce and it's really good on steaks. I'm not really much of a steak person, but this sauce makes them remarkably appetizing. I think it would be great as a topping for any kind of meat or main dish that needs a little bit of zing. All you do is:

Stir together 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (including roots and stems), 1/3 cup olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lime, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes. Stir well and drizzle on your grilled steaks, etc.