Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

This is the dessert I brought to our church Christmas party this year.  I saw the recipe earlier and REALLY wanted to make it but since Tory's not a big fan of chocolate and I didn't really want to eat it all by myself, I figured the party would be a perfect time to make it and taste it.  It was sooo good!  I forgot to take a picture before we headed out the door so this is a picture of the last couple slices.  I made mine in a bundt cake pan but you can also make it in a couple loaf pans.  I also forgot to bring the whipped cream to the party.  That would just about make this perfect I'm sure.  I found the recipe on My Kitchen Cafe.  Check it out.  She's got much better photos.  If you still need a holiday dessert I would definitely suggest this one if you like gingerbread and chocolate!

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

*Makes one bundt cake or two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaves*


2 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup butter at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup dark molasses
1 cup very hot water
One 12-ounce package mini semisweet chocolate chips

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan or two loaf pans (8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch).

-Whisk together 2 ½ cups flour cocoa and all remaining spices and soda.

-Toss chocolate chips with remaining 2 tablespoons flour in another bowl.

-Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed in a large, deep bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

-Whisk together the molasses and hot water in a 4-cup glass measure or bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with the molasses mixture in 3 batches. Fold in chocolate chips.

-Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and is firm to the touch but not overbaked and dry. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert and cool completely. Serve, lightly dusted with cocoa powder and/or with sweetened whipped cream.

Microwave Cinnamon Popcorn

I got this recipe a long time ago from one of my Young Women leaders, Linda Y., from our Scott City, KS branch (church).  Our family has been making it ever since.  I always make sure to include some with my holiday goodies that I give out.  The hardest part is finding a store that sells the cinnamon oil.  The cinnamon oil just comes in little 1-2 tsp. glass bottles and can usually be found by the pharmacy.  (There are all kinds of other flavors, too, like peppermint, strawberry, butterscotch, etc.)  You just want to make sure you use the cinnamon OIL and not extract or other flavoring for this recipe.  I usually use the LorAnn brand flavoring oils.  If you are in Utah it might be easier to find.  I found some once just on a side aisle at my Mom's Albertson's store.  I've also seen it at cake/baking supply stores.  You will also need a large brown paper sack to make this in so either bag your groceries in paper or grab a couple extras to have on hand.  OK.  I think that's it.  Enjoy!

Mirowave Cinnamon Popcorn

3-4 quarts popped corn (can use microwave popcorn if you'd like)

-Microwave the following ingredients on high until a good rolling boil is reached.  Boil for 2 minutes:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margerine
1/3 cup corn syrup

-Stir in:

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. red food coloring

1/2 tsp. OIL of cinnamon (Make sure it's not extract!)

-Pour over popcorn in a heavy brown paper bag.  Roll top down.  Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes.  Open and stir well.  (Do not put your face too close or you could be burned by the cinnamon oil fumes!  Believe me...it's happened to us before!)  Microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes more.  Open and stir well.  Pour onto waxed paper.  Cool and dry.  Break into small pieces and store in air tight container.

White Chocolate Peanut Krispies

Otherwise known as "White Chocolate Globs" for lack of a better name.  I just got this recipe about a week ago.  For our church Christmas party each family had to bring a favorite Christmas dessert to share.  Someone brought these and I loved them!  I loved the mild peanut butter taste, the crispie crunch of the Rice Krispie Cereal, and the miniature marshmallows.  You are supposed to use unsalted peanuts.  The only kind I could find were extra large peanuts so I roughly chopped them so that they would be a little smaller.  They really were HUGE!  These mix up very fast and look great with a plate of other goodies.  My boys gave some to their teachers this year.

White Chocolate Peanut Krispies

1 pound white chocolate (or almond bark)
1/2 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup small marshmallows

Place white chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for 1 minute; stir.  Microwave for 30 seconds; stir.  Repeat as necessary until completely and evenly melted.  Add peanut butter and stir until it is also melted.  Add remaining ingredients and coat them well with the white chocolate mixture.  Drop in globs onto waxed or parchment paper on a cooking sheet and cool completely--either in the fridge or freezer--before serving.

Cranberry Chili Sausage Bites

Just when you thought you couldn't do anything else with a can of whole berry cranberry sauce...I introduce to you Cranberry Chili Sausage Links.  It has the best flavor.  Nice for something different besides the normal bar-b-que sauce that is usually served with this type of dish.  This is great as an appetizer or hors d'œuvre or it can be made into more of a main dish.  The last time I made it I served it over brown rice.  Plenty of sauce to soak into the rice.  And the sauce is delicious.  You'd never guess what was in it.  With only three ingredients and being cooked in a crockpot, it makes a very fast and easy dish for a party or meal.

Cranberry Chili Sausage Bites

1 (12-oz.) bottle Chili Sauce
1 (14-oz.) can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
2 (16-oz.) ring cooked Polish sausage or kielbasa (You could probably use those Lil' Smokies as well)

In a medium sized crockpot, combine chili sauce and cranberry sauce.  Slice sausage into 1/2-1 inch wide circles (depending on how big you want your bites.)  Mix with sauce.  Turn crockpot on high and heat until bubbling and sausage is warm.  Serve with toothpicks as an hors d'œuvre or over brown rice.

Crêpes

I served a mission for my church in Belgium and France.  It was one of the best experiences of my life!  While I was there I definitely enjoyed the wonderful foods.  So many good things that I miss!  Chocolate for one.  Too bad I can't whip up a batch.  Something I did learn to make was crêpes.  And if you want to pronounce it correctly...say it with a short "e" sound as in "festival".  I like to make them for special occasions for my family.  I recently made them for our breakfast on Thanksgiving Day.  While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is nowadays widespread in France and they are considered a national dish.  Crêpes are served with a variety of fillings, from the most simple with only sugar to elaborate savoury fillings.  The fillings I had most often on my mission were fruit spreads (jam), white sugar sprinkled with lemon juice (very good-you only need a little bit of sugar), yogurt (which of course is heavenly in France.  Oh how I miss it!), and of course Nutella.  You must have Nutella.  Of course there are many other fillings but those were the fillings most commonly served to me.  Fruit with whipped cream is yummy as well as cream cheese, ice cream, peanut butter, chocolate sauce, etc.  Then there's always eggs, cheese, vegetables or anything else to make them more of a meal.  This is the recipe I used on my mission.  I've never tried any others because this one works and tastes great!  To cook them I have a special crêpe pan that I bought in Belgium.  It is basically just a really good nonstick pan with 1/2 inch sides.  (See bottom photo.)  This makes it much easier to flip them.  A good, thin, flexible spatula is also handy for turning them.  I never grease my pan and I try to spread the batter as thin as possible.  I cook mine on medium heat.  The first one is usually a flop until the pan reaches the correct temperature but you need one to "sample" anyway so it all works out.  I can usually get about 12-14 out of one batch.  They are really very simple to make and enjoyable to eat!  :o)

Crêpes
 
1 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. milk
 
Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix eggs, vanilla, oil and milk. Mix about half of the wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Mix and mix with a wire whisk until there are NO lumps! Add rest of wet ingredients. Should be consistency of “melted McDonald’s milkshake”.


In a crepe pan or nonstick skillet, put about a 1/4 cup or less batter in a nonstick skillet and whirl skillet to coat bottom. You want them to be as thin as you possibly can make them. You can even spread it out with a spatula. Cook on first side until bubbles form. Then flip over. This takes practice and usually the first one or two don’t look good. It helps to have a flexible spatula to get underneath them. Cook on second side for just a few sec. Stack cooked crepes right on top of each other on a plate.  Place favorite topping in center and either roll up or fold in quarters. Refrigerate any cooked leftovers. Just cover with plastic wrap.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

This is the best cranberry sauce!  I got the recipe from my sister Heather.  It only has 4 ingredients and you don't cook it at all!  What could be more simple!  We're not big cranberry sauce eaters normally but this one is so good and fresh and so different that we all eat it up.  Be sure to make it the day before so the flavors can blend.  You're supposed to chop all of the fruit in the food processor but I don't have one.  I just use my Pampered Chef chopper.  Heather also recommends chopping each type of fruit individually to make sure it all gets chopped, then add it together and stir.  This is what I did and it was perfect.  You can chop it as much or as little as you prefer.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 large orange
1 large apple (crisp red variety works best)
1 c. sugar

Sort and wash cranberries.  Chop in food processor.  Cut up apple and orange and chop in a food processor.  Mix fruit together with sugar and let stand in refrigerator overnight.  Stir before serving.

Cranberry Crumb Bars

Since it's still the holidays, you can take advantage of the great sales on canned cranberry sauce and make these.  I like to stock up so that I can make treats like these during the year.  I found this recipe in a Taste of Homes magazine 8 years ago and made them for Tory and I for our first Christmas together.  We loved them and have been making them ever since.  They have a crust that is like shortbread, a cream cheese layer,  a cranberry layer, and then a crumb topping.  Delicious together!

Cranberry Crumb Bars

Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. cold butter
Filling:
1 (8 oz.)  package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 (16 oz.) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
Topping:
1/3 c. flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 c. cold butter
3/4 c. finely chopped walnuts

-Combine flour and powdered sugar; cut in butter until crumbly.  Press into a greased 9x13 and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. or until edges are lightly browned.  Reduce heat to 325.

-In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add milk and lemon juice; mix well.  Pour over crust.

-In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and brown sugar.  Stir in cranberry sauce until combined.  Spoon over cream cheese layer.

-For topping, combine the flour and brown sugar in a bowl; cut in butter.  Fold in walnuts.  Sprinkle over filling.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 min. or until topping is golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cover and chill ofr 3 hours before cutting.

Corn Pudding

I decided to try a new corn recipe.  Adapted from this recipe.  It's got a lot of "rich" ingredients so I'd probably only make it for special occasions but it was very good!  Optionally you could blend all 4 cups of corn instead of leaving one cup whole for texture.  I guess it depends on what texture you like your corn pudding.

Corn Pudding

4 cups frozen corn kernels (about 19 ounces), thawed--set aside 1 cup
4 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Blend all ingredients but 1 one cup of corn in processor or blender until almost smooth. Pour batter into prepared dish. Stir in remaining 1 cup corn.  Bake pudding until brown and center is just set, about 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; serve.

Cranberry Slush

I found this recipe on This Week for Dinner and had to try it for Thanksgiving.  It was sooo good!  We're definitely going to be making this each year.  I might try to figure out how to halve the recipe next time though.  It made a ton!  So yummy though.  The cranberry flavor was perfect for dinner.  I have to post the recipe here so I'll always have it.  You'll need a fine wire/mesh strainer for this recipe.  You can find one at Wal-mart for just under $3.00.  There's a reason I know that... :)

Cranberry Slush

There are two versions – the original and the quick. I did the quick version and it’s fantastic.  This is the one she usually uses, too.


Quick Recipe:


- 4 cans whole cranberry sauce
- 3 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
- 2 quarts ginger ale

Run 4 cans of whole cranberry sauce through collander. Discard cranberry skins (or save them for something else.)  Add 2 quarts cranberry juice. Freeze. When ready to serve, mash up frozen cranberries with 1 quart cranberry juice and 2 quarts ginger ale.

*Hint:  When combining the juice and ginger ale with the frozen mixture, do a little at a time so it stays slushy otherwise it won't be as slushy.  You kind of have to mash the frozen mixture with the liquids as you go.

You'll have to push the sauce through with a spoon, leaving just the skins behind.  These can be discarded.
Original Recipe:


- 1 lb cranberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
- 2 quarts ginger ale

Cook cranberries, sugar and water until thickens. Run through collander. Add 1 quart cranberry juice. Freeze. When ready to serve, mash up frozen cranberries with 1 quart cranberry juice and 2 quarts ginger ale.

This is what the cranberry sauce looks like after you run it through the mesh collander.

Buttermilk Pancakes

If you ever have some leftover buttermilk you HAVE to make these.  They are very light and fluffy.  Must be made with buttermilk.  So good!

Buttermilk Pancakes

3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.


Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

White Chip Pumpkin Spice Cake

I've been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now.  I found it on Heather White's blog.  Tory had a group of young men coming over to do some woodworking and I thought it would be the perfect excuse to make it.  Guys need food right?  It was so yummy and very easy since it uses a cake mix.  The only thing that seemed different was her glaze seemed much "whiter" and thicker.  Maybe that's because she didn't have 3 little boys snitching the white chocolate chips.  Or maybe I put it on when the glaze was too warm?  Not sure.  But regardless of the lack of whiteness...it tasted so yummy!

White Chip Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
3 large eggs
1 C. pumpkin
2/3 C. evaporated milk
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1 C. white chocolate chips

White Chip Cinnamon Glaze:
3 T. evaporated milk
1 C. white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt cake pan. Combine cake mix, eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes; stir in chocolate chips. Pour into bundt pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 25 minutes; invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle HALF of glaze over cake; serve with remaining glaze.

For White Chip Cinnamon Glaze:
Heat 3 T. evaporated milk in a small, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat just to a boil; remove from heat. Add 1 C. white chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon.

Cream soup of pumpkin

Velouté de potimaron parfumé

Préparation : 20 min
Cuisson : 45 min

Ingrédients (pour 6 personnes) :
- 1 potimarron
- 3 carottes
- 1 pomme de terre
- 1 gros oignon
- 6 tranches de bacon
- marjolaine, sauge, sel, poivre
- 20 cl de crème fraîche
- 150 g de fromage râpé (cheddar ou comté)

Préparation :

Préparer les légumes, les couper en morceaux et les mettre dans une cocotte avec le bacon, 1 branche de marjolaine (ou de thym), 4 ou 5 feuilles de sauge et couvrir d'eau à hauteur.

Laisser cuire environ 45 min.

Mixer les légumes et le bacon, en ajoutant au fur et à mesure l'eau de cuisson afin d'obtenir une consistance onctueuse et assez épaisse.

Saler et poivrer et éventuellement mettre un peu de muscade en plus.

Ajouter le fromage râpé et la crème fraîche, bien mélanger et servir bien chaud.

**************************************************************************

Cream soup of pumpkin (‘potimaron’)

Ingredients :
- 1 pumkin ou ‘potimaron’
- 3 carrots
- 1 potato
- 1 big onion
- 6 slices of bacon (or ham or larding bacon)
- Marjoram (or thyme), sage, salt, pepper
- ¾ cup of liquid cream
- 5 ounces of cheese (cheddar or comté or whatever cheese you can have in US, that is tasty)


Prepare the vegetables, cut them in pieces and put them in a pressure-cooker with the bacon, 1 stick of marjoram (or thyme), 4 or 5 leaf of sage and cover with water.

Let it cook for 45 minutes.

Mix the vegetables and bacon, and add the cooking water progressively to obtain a creamy and thickly consistency.

Salt and pepper and you can add some nutmeg, if you want.

Add the grated cheese and the liquid cream, mix and serve it warm.

Peach Pie

I found some giant peaches at the grocery store that were calling to me.  They were saying "Peach Pie, Peach Pie" so I had to get them and I had to make a peach pie.  It's not like I make peach pie...ever...but it just sounded really good.  Let me tell ya, the pie tasted really good, too!  I peeled and sliced my peaches, stirred in the lime juice, and set them in a colander to drain as I prepared the rest of the pie.  That way they would be nice and drained and not so soggy.  Another tip I picked up is brushing a bit of beaten egg onto the bottom crust before placing the peach filling.  This is to help eliminate the "soggy" crust you sometimes get.  I did a lattice top but you can also roll out a top crust and just make sure you cut vents so the steam can escape.  Make sure you bake on a cookie sheet because it will most likely bubble over!  Top with a little vanilla ice cream and you've got yourself some yumminess!

Peach Pie

1 egg, beaten
5 cups sliced peeled peaches, I used 6 HUGE peaches and it was maxed out
2 Tbsp. lime juice (You can also use lemon but I've read that so many people prefer lime.  They say the flavor blends with the peach flavor better.)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
pastry for 9" pie and top (I made my own.  Recipe HERE.)

Place sliced peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with lime juice.  Mix gently.  Set in colander to drain off any extra juices while preparing the rest of the pie. 

Line bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts.  Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later. 

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Pour over the peaches, and mix gently.  Pour into the pie crust and dot with butter.  Cover with the other pie crust or lattice crust.  Fold the edges under.  Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork.  Brush the remaining egg over the top crust.  Sprinkle with sugar, optional.  Cut several slits in the top crust to steam if not doing lattice. 

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes in a preheated oven.  Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents.  If the edges brown too fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking.  Cool before serving.  This tastes better warm than hot! 

Fall Snack

I had almost forgotten about this fun snack until I saw it on my cousin's recipe blog. I made this for my family last year as we snuggled up outside on our patio and watched Disney's animated "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by the fire for Family Home Evening. For a movie snack we had a mix of candy corn and salted peanuts. There is a little story that goes along with how I found this "recipe". I was at the grocery store a few days earlier and helped a lady reach something off of the top shelf. Turns out she was looking for candy corn. After I helped her out she said, "Our family's new favorite snack around Halloween is candy corn mixed with salted peanuts. It tastes just like a Payday candy bar!" Well, I was curious so I thought I'd give it a try. Tory normally doesn't like candy corn (I do like it) so I usually don't get it. He actually liked this combo! And it tastes EXACTLY like a Payday candy bar! Give it a try if you need a snack mix for some party coming up.

Candy Corn & Salted Peanuts

1 bag candy corn
1 can salted peanuts

Mix together in a bowl and eat!

Pumpkin Bread

This is the pumpkin bread that I often make. I love the spices in it and of course I always have to add chocolate chips! (First I make a couple mini loaves without chocolate chips for my husband since he doesn't like them in his pumpkin bread and then I add the chocolate chips to the rest of the batter.) I made some this morning to give to a friend and it makes the house smell so yummy! I usually bake mine in mini loaf pans but sometimes I do large loaves or a combination. Today I even put some in mini muffin tins because I knew I wouldn't have enough time for the bread to cook before I had to leave. No matter how you bake it...it tastes delicious and makes a lot! I can get about 8 mini loaves out of this recipe! Today I made 6 mini loaves and 24 mini muffins! Plenty for everyone!

Pumpkin Bread


1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup oil which is what I usually do)
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional


Beat pumpkin, oil (applesauce), water, eggs, and sugar. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Gently fold in nuts and chocolate chips if using. Bake in pans that have been greased and floured. (For muffins I just spray with nonstick cooking spray but for any loaves I grease and then flour.) Bake in 350 degree oven for recommended time below. All times approximate. Check tops of loaves before removing from oven. When done baking, let sit in pans for 10 minutes then loosen sides with a knife and remove from pans.

Large loaves: 50 minutes
Mini loaves: 25-30 minutes
Mini Muffins: 12-15 minutes

Favorite Pumpkin Recipe Challenge

Attention All "La Bonne Cuisine Cooks"!

In an effort to re-invite you all to post some recipes on here...I am challenging YOU to share one (or more!) of your most favorite recipes that include pumpkin.

They can be sweet treats, warm soups, dinner in a pumpkin...anything goes!

I love pumpkin and I'm always looking for new recipes to include it in.

If you'd like to see some of the pumpkin dishes we have so far just click on the "pumpkin" link over in the sidebar on the right (or on the word pumpkin here). If your recipe is similar to one already posted...post it anyway! If you don't have a picture that's OK, too. And if you're not a pumpkin fan (*gasp*) you are welcome to post any other Fall recipe!

I can't wait to try some new recipes!

Thank You!

P.S. If you wish to be a "La Bonne Cuisine Cook" and contribute to our recipes, please leave a comment!

Taco Soup

Here's another delicious soup recipe. It has all the good stuff of tacos in a warm bowl of soup. I serve it with Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos-a little secret I learned from my sister Amy. She made taco soup for us when we were visiting once and it was soooo good with the Doritos. They really make it taco-y! It's the only time I ever buy Doritos. Buy a small bag if it makes you feel better but don't leave them out! This is actually Amy's recipe that I've changed just a little. Basically I added more beans, tomatoes, sauce, and water to make it stretch further for our family. Oh and I did change the tomatoes to the chili ready flavor. You can also put sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onions or olives on top. This soup will fill you up and it's so easy!

Taco Soup


1 lb. turkey burger
1 small onion, chopped
2 (16 oz.) cans chili ready diced tomatoes + 2 cans water
2 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans
1 (17 oz.) can corn
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 package taco seasoning (I use the 30% less sodium kind by McCormick)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
Nacho Cheese Doritos, NOT optional!


In a large soup pot, cook burger with onion. Drain off fat. Add all ingredients except Doritos. Simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve over crumbled Doritos chips or sprinkle Doritos on top with any other toppings you like.

Frosted Pumpkin Bars

This is a yummy pumpkin dessert to add to your Fall menu. I love anything pumpkin and I'm always looking for new ways to use pumpkin in my baking and cooking. My pantry always has canned pumpkin stocked up. This is a simple recipe that I usually have most things on hand for. It's nothing fancy but tastes great and is very moist. You can also add a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips if you're feeling wild (and if your husband actually likes chocolate chips in pumpkin desserts. Mine doesn't. *sniff, sniff*) or raisins if that's what you like. (I'm afraid I say "no thank you" on the raisins but that's what my husband loves. And this is why I normally make it without any add-ins. Ha.) I normally store the leftover cake in the fridge because it has cream cheese in the frosting.

Frosted Pumpkin Bars


1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon (sometimes I do 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda


Cream pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, oil, and sugar together. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Place in a greased 10x15 or sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. or until done. Cool cake completely and then frost.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over cool cake.

Creamy Tortellini Soup

It was very chilly today. A perfect day for soup. I needed something really good and creamy. I had a giant bag of frozen three cheese tortellini in my freezer that somehow jumped into my cart the last time I went grocery shopping. I figured I could do something with that so off to the kitchen I went to do a little "inventing". The result was fabulous. Definitely a keeper. I thought for sure I'd have leftovers for tomorrow. Not a drop left in the pot. Well, at least I know it was a success! I'm going to have to make this one again for sure! You could always make it with pasta instead of tortellini if you wanted. It looks like a lot of ingredients but it's really easy and fast to throw together. Oh my goodness! This soup is so yummy! Dip some garlic bread sticks in there and tell me you're not in heaven. I dare you!
*I just made this again (yes, twice in one week) and my husband thought it needed another chicken bouillon cube or maybe more salt. Adjust salt level as you need. My measurements are definitely on the lower levels.

Creamy Tortellini Soup


1 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
8-10 mushrooms, diced
5 cups water
6 Tbsp. flour
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (could use fresh garlic but I didn't have any)
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional (This really heats it up. More than you'd think!)
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt (depending on what kind of broth you use)
2-3 cups frozen tortellini
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
4 cups spinach (I pile mine up and slice through it to get smaller pieces)


In a large soup pot, heat butter or olive oil. Add onion, carrots, and mushrooms. Saute for about 5 min. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup cold water with 6 Tbsp. flour. Whisk until smooth. Add 4 cups of water to vegetables in soup pot. Stir in the flour and water mixture. Stir to blend well. Add potatoes, corn, chicken broth and all spices and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Turn to medium and boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally. Add evaporated milk, frozen tortellini, and spinach and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve!

Teriyaki Pasta Spinach Salad

This salad is one of my top two favorite salads of all time. To be in my top two I have to be able to want to eat them every single week. (Not that I do...just that I WANT to.) My favorite is still the Fiesta Pasta Salad but this one is so close it's practically a tie. They served this at our church Super Saturday Craft Day a few weeks ago and I really think I might have died if they didn't share the recipe. Thank goodness they did! You have to try this one. I love the dressing, the honey roasted peanuts, the mandarin oranges, and the craisins. Mmmm...so tasty. When I went to buy my ingredients to make this my grocery store only had the mini-size bow tie pasta. I also didn't put any fresh parsley in. Oh...and I just used one big can of chicken breast instead of cooking up my own. Oh...and it's originally called "Spinach Pasta Salad" but I thought it needed to include the word "Teriyaki" because that's what makes it soooo yummy! So I think those are all of the changes I made. This makes a ton! Easily enough to feed 6-8 people. When I was putting it together I made as directed but saved back about 1/3 of the dressing, 1/3 of the spinach and toppings, and 1/3 of the pasta. That way I could mix up a "fresh" batch the next day for lunch since I knew we probably wouldn't eat it all at once. The original recipe was double the amounts below. Since I doubt I'll ever need to make THAT much I'm just going to post the 1/2 size that I made (before I divided it into thirds) and if I ever need to make a HUGE batch then I'll just double it. OK. Enough chattering. Here's the recipe!

Teriyaki Pasta Spinach Salad

1 bag (10 oz.) spinach
2-3 green onions, sliced
1/4 c. fresh parsley
1/3 c. craisins (I put in a few more!)
1/3 c. honey roasted peanuts (I put in a few more!)
1 can mandarin oranges, drained (I cut each segment in half just to make more pieces in my salad.)
1-2 c. cooked, cut-up chicken (or 1 large can chicken breast)
1 box (12-16 oz.) bow tie pasta (You're actually supposed to use 1/2 this amount but I don't know if it was because I used the mini-size pasta or what but the whole box seemed just right...especially after I took 1/3 out to save for the next day.)

Dressing:
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. Teriyaki sauce
1/3 c. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Prepare the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate overnight. (Mine got about two hours of refrigeration and it was just as good as the 1/3 I reserved for the next day.) Mix all salad ingredients together and add dressing just before serving.

Tuna Veggie Burgers and Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

I whipped these up for dinner and they were so good. Very moist with all of the vegetables in them. Sometimes that seems to be the problem with tuna burgers-they get very dry. Not these! My boys like them with ketchup but I like them plain or with my Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce. Serve alone or on a bun with all the fixin's.

Tuna Veggie Burgers

2 cans tuna, drained
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup dry oats
3 Tbsp. ground flax seeds, optional (I store my flax seeds in the freezer and grind just what I need at the time in a little spice/coffee grinder. You can also buy ground flax seed packaged.)
1 egg
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb (or favorite seasoning)
1/2 tsp. dry dill
salt and pepper to taste

Mix well and drop onto preheated skillet greased with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. I often use my electric skillet. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the tuna mixture, drop onto hot skillet, and slightly spread/flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness. 1/4 cup scoop makes 8 burgers. Cook on med-low heat (or 325 degrees on the electric skillet) for about 5-7 minutes on each side. I usually put the lid on while it's cooking on the first side and then uncover for the second side. Serve warm.

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. dill
1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb, optional
1/2-1 tsp. lemon juice

Mix well and slather on top of burgers!

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

This is the sauce I use a lot when cooking or eating fish. I like to use it to top tuna burgers and I also often use it when I bake salmon or other fish. I mix up a batch to put on top of the salmon as it bakes and then some more to put on top when serving. I like to put the Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning in it to give it a little more garlic (and because you know I just can hardly cook without my Mrs. Dash!) but it is optional.

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. dill
1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb, optional
1/2-1 tsp. lemon juice

Mix well!

Speedy Spinach Pesto

Basil pesto with pine nuts is my favorite but it can be expensive to make or buy. This is an alternative recipe that uses spinach and walnuts (or pine nuts) instead. Still delicious!

Speedy Spinach Pesto

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, preferably Italian flat leaf
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, not canned
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1. Place all ingredients into food processor and process to a fine paste.
2. Taste and adjust seasonings and transfer to a glass container and top with a thin coat of olive oil to prevent the top of the pesto from discoloring.
3. Keeps for weeks in the refrigerator. (If it lasts that long! Mine never has!)

Makes 2 cups.

Gnocci with White Beans and Pesto

We loved this recipe! It's pretty simple to throw together especially if you already have pesto made up (or bought). I made my own Speedy Spinach Pesto to go with it. Gnocchi (pronounced 'Noki') are a type of pasta made from potatoes. They look like almond shaped little lumps of dough. In the photo here, I used mini-size gnocchi. Normally they are larger in size. You can typically find gnocchi in the pasta aisle at your grocery store. I buy mine at Wal-mart and they are in fresh sealed vacuum packs. For this recipe I didn't have any canned fried onions, so I left them out. I'll put them in the recipe but personally I don't think you would even need them! If you've never tried gnocchi give it a try!

Gnocchi with White Beans and Pesto

1 pound pre-packaged gnocchi
3 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, de-stemmed and quartered
1 cup celery, diced
1 (15.5 oz.) can Cannellini (White) Beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups packed baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup canned fried onions
3/4 cup pre-packaged or homemade pesto
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Heat a 10-inch skillet and 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. When warm add mushrooms and cook for three minutes.
3. Add celery, cover and cook one minute more until celery is bright green and soft.
4. Uncover and cook until water has evaporated.
5. Remove celery and mushrooms from pan and set aside.
6. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil; when warm add drained gnocchi and brown it alone until bottoms are crisp.
7. Stir and continue to brown the other sides.
8. Turn off the heat; add mushrooms, celery, cannellini beans, spinach, olives, sage, salt and onions.
9. In a separate bowl, mix pesto and broth together.
10. Top gnocchi with sauce and Parmesan cheese; mix well. Serve.

Makes about 6 servings.

Click HERE for my Speedy Spinach Pesto recipe.

Dump Cake

Love this cake! Nice and warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is best. Can't get much easier than this cake.

Dump Cake


1 box (18.25 oz.) white cake mix (or I've used yellow if that's all I have)
1 can (20-21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup shredded coconut (or more if you like it like I do!)
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted (I usually just use 1/2 cup)


In a 9x13 baking dish, mix cherry pie filling with pineapple. Spread evenly in pan. Cover evenly with dry cake mix. Top with coconut and nuts. Pour melted butter evenly over the top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until the sides are bubbling and the top is browned.
Note: Let cool for about an hour before cutting. Don't forget your scoop of ice cream!

Mexican Style Black Beans and Rice

There's nothing fancy about this meal. In fact it's just Rice-a-Roni doctored up "Brooke" style. But boy is it good! This is one of my quick meals that I normally have everything on hand for. My kids love it and it tastes great. I like to serve it with crushed tortilla chips and a little bit of sour cream on top if I have any. Mmmm...

Mexican Style Black Beans and Rice

2 boxes Rice-a-Roni, Mexican Style flavor
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups water
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel, tomatoes and green chilies (I use Mild)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I've used kidney beans, red beans, and pinto beans, too)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen chopped broccoli
crushed tortilla chips, optional
sour cream, optional

In a large skillet, combine rice-pasta mix with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute over medium heat until vermicelli is golden brown, stirring frequently. Slowly add 4 cups water and special seasoning packets. Stir in Rotel, black beans, and corn. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Add broccoli about half way through so that it stays nice and bright green.  Serve with crushed tortilla chips and sour cream if desired.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

We hardly ever use ice cream toppings but I had some leftover caramel topping from banana splits we had for Tory's birthday. Normally my ice cream toppings just sit in the fridge wasting space until I throw them out. I was looking through a cookbook that I got from my sister Heather and found this recipe. It is from her mother-in-law. I only had 1/2 cup of the ice cream topping left so I just halved the recipe. It made an 8x8 square pan that was just right. These are VERY sweet and one square is really all you'll want! Very easy recipe and very good. (And a great way to use up leftover ice cream topping!) Makes about 16 squares in the 8x8 size or 24-36 squares in the 13x9 size. I will post the recipe in its original 13x9 size and measurements.

Oatmeal Carmelitas


Crust:
2 c. flour
2 c. quick oats
1 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. softened butter


Filling:
1 c. caramel ice cream topping
3 Tbsp. flour
1 c. chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used walnuts)


Crust: Grease pan. In large mixer bowl, mix all crust ingredients on low until crumbly. Press half of crumb mixture, about 3 cups, in bottom of 13x9 pan. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Filling: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix caramel topping and flour. Sprinkle partially baked crust with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle with caramel mixture and top with the other half of the crumb mixture. Bake another 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours until the filling is set. Cut into bars.

Click HERE for pumpkin spice variation!

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

We love Shepherds Pie around here and it's so easy to make a vegetarian version. Of course you can always add burger. In fact that's how I used to make it most often. But since we've tried to include more vegetarian meals into our diet I've adapted many of my recipes and this is one of them. Everything else is the same except with the meat version I didn't add lentils and only one can of kidney beans. My Shepherd's Pie has a secret ingredient. I use salsa to give it some good kick. This last time I made it I added a new ingredient that is definitely staying on my permanent ingredient list for this. It's a type of mustard that hardly even tastes like mustard. It's called Southwest Spicy Sweet, Hot Mustard and it's the Great Value brand at Wal-Mart. Let me tell ya, it's GOOD! Adds just a little spice to the dish. Run to Wal-Mart and get you a bottle! You can always add more lentils to this, too. When cooking the lentils just use a 1:4 ratio with lentils to water.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

1 cup dry lentils
4 cups water (for cooking lentils)
4 large potatoes, washed and diced (I leave the peels on. Makes it more hardy.)
2 cans green beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I like petite diced the best.)
1 cup salsa
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp. Southwest Spicy Sweet, Hot Mustard
salt and pepper to taste

In small saucepan boil  lentils and water with lid slightly ajar. Simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. In a separate pan boil diced potatoes for 20 minutes.

While the lentils and potatoes are cooking, mix beans, corn, kidney beans, tomatoes, salsa, tomato sauce and mustard in a large baking dish. (I use my dish that is one size bigger than a 9x13.) Add cooked lentils-drain any remaining water first. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mash the boiled potatoes. I throw mine in my Kitchen Aid and I just use a little almond milk or soy milk. I try to leave out the butter since the rest of the dish is so full of flavor you don't really miss it. Salt and pepper the mashed potatoes and spread on top of the bean mixture. I used to sprinkle shredded cheese over the top at this point but now I skip that step. Do whatever makes you happy.

Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes. Warning: Let sit for awhile before serving. It will be boiling hot right out of the oven! Enjoy!

S'More Rice Krispie Treats

OK...enough of these healthy recipes. We need something sweet! Try these S'More Rice Krispie Treats for an easy treat. I was in the mood for something different and this is what I came up with. Pretty yummy and nice and gooey!

S'More Rice Krispie Treats

3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (10 ounce) package regular marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
1 cup miniature marshmallows, set aside
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
3-4 graham crackers, coarsely crushed

In large saucepan, melt margarine over low heat. Add 10 oz. marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Sir until well coated.

Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Press down evenly. Sprinkle top with crushed graham crackers (press into sticky marshmallow mixture), miniature marshmallows, and chocolate chips. Place in oven under broiler for a minute or until marshmallows are slightly toasted. Remove from oven. Cool completely before cutting.

Roasted Vegetables Over Quinoa

I'm not going to lie. This was so good and so easy and smelled so yummy while it was cooking. Seriously. Some of the young men in our ward were at our house the night I made this. They met at our house before heading out to go do a service project and I didn't think they were going to be able to leave. It was so funny! Apparently they've been talking about eating healthy and healthy food choices because I heard comments like, "So is that healthy food cooking?" and "Those are just vegetables cooking?" and the best one "Vegetables smell that good?" Yes. They smell that good. And they taste even better. And now I'm going to have to make this again tonight because these pictures are making me hungry...and because I have all of the ingredients! You can adjust the amount you need by adding more or less vegetables. Next time I'm adding more! And of course you could add any other vegetables like celery, sweet potatoes, etc. Just fill your baking pan up! I served it as a main dish but you could make it a side as well.

Roasted Vegetables Over Quinoa

3 large potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces (I left the peels on)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, chopped into large pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
2 zucchini, cut into 1" pieces
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Mrs. Dash or favorite seasoning

Throw all vegetables into a 9x13 (smaller or larger baking dish depending on how much you're making). Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top. A little goes a long way! You can always add more as they're baking if it seems too dry for you but the vegetables kind of produce their own juices and I don't know about you but I don't really like my food swimming in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and your choice of seasonings. I tried a new one this time and it was soooo good! Mrs. Dash Grilling Blends: Chicken flavor (black lid). Wow! So yummy! My other standby that I normally use is Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb (the turquoise color lid). Stir to coat all vegetables evenly. Place in oven preheated to 400 degrees. Bake for 20 min. Stir. Place back in oven for 10-20 min. (Time varies depending on sizes of vegetables. If you want it to bake faster, cut your vegetables in smaller pieces.) I usually test the potatoes to see if they are done since they tend to take the longest. Serve over cooked quinoa-1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water. Make sure you rinse the quinoa before you cook it. Cook in a covered pot for 15-20 min.

Quinoa Salad

This is a fresh, flavorful, and very colorful salad. This is my "base" recipe. I like to change it up a bit by using different vegetables like cooked corn, scallions, fresh chopped zucchini, or avocado. Fresh parsley and/or mint is also delicious. To make it more of a meal you could add black beans or chick peas. Sometimes I also like to add a sprinkle of chopped walnuts for some extra crunch. Like I said, I change it up quite a bit depending on what I have on hand and what I'm feeling like. By adding different vegetables and seasonings you can change it to "Mexican Quinoa Salad" with a little chili seasoning, corn, and beans or "Italian Quinoa Salad" with Italian seasoning, olives, and basil or even "Oriental Quinoa Salad" with soy sauce or peanut sauce instead of the lemon and olive oil, slivered carrots and snow peas. The possibilities are endless! Don't be afraid to experiment. Just think of the flavors you love!

Quinoa Salad
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinse well
3 cups water
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup lightly steamed broccoli florets, chopped into smaller pieces if needed
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
3 Tbsp. olive oil (or use vegetable broth for a lower fat dressing)
1/4 cup lemon juice (sometimes I use lime juice)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Bring water and rinsed quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover with lid, and cook for 15-20 min.

While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves and salt and pepper.

When quinoa is finished cooking, allow to cool slightly. Toss with vegetables and lemon juice mix, stirring to combine well. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a staple at our house. I substitute quinoa wherever I would use brown rice. It cooks in half the time! It is such a healthy grain with so many benefits. In a one cup serving it has about 11 grams of protein! It is one of the grains that is gluten free, contains a balanced set of amino acids making it a complete protein, and it is very versatile. Quinoa can be substituted for almost any grain in almost any recipe. It looks and tastes great on its own, or in any dish from soup to salad. It is easy to find at any health store and I've also seen it at "regular" grocery stores in their health food section. When cooked, the germ emerges as a tiny, curly tail. My kids like to call it "curly rice". I normally buy the white variety but you can also find it in red or black. The red has a nutty flavor which is great for salads. The black seems to be a little stronger flavored.

To Cook:

Always, always, always rinse your quinoa before cooking. It has a bitter outer coating that is very strong but a rinse under water takes it away. If you have a fine strainer that would work best. I don't have one so I usually swish mine around in my cooking pot, rubbing it with my hands, and then drain as carefully as I can, and then fill up with the correct amount of cooking water. 1 cup grain to 2 cups water. Simmer 15-20 minutes covered.

To Use:

-As a side: salt, pepper and/or butter or our favorite...plain. So much flavor you don't really need anything else.

-Served under foods such as stir fry (or any other food you would normally serve over rice)

-Breakfast: We like it warm with, cinnamon, brown sugar or honey, and soy or almond milk poured over the top. I try to always make twice as much as I need at dinner time so I'll have some to heat up in the morning. I like to rotate cooked quinoa, cooked brown rice, and oatmeal in our breakfast lineup. My kids like all three and I serve them all the same with some sort of milk, berries/raisins/apples, nuts, cinnamon, coconut, etc. What a great breakfast!

-Makes a great first food after baby is 6 months old. I usually mix with some pureed food to help it go down better.

-Mixed into soups or salads. I also throw some in my chicken pot pie, enchiladas, or anything else that needs to be stretched further.

-Substitute in recipes calling for couscous. Great with ratatouille!



As you can see, quinoa is very versatile. I have a few actual recipes that I make but mostly I throw it in, mix it with, or add it to pretty much any recipe. In fact, you could easily add cooked quinoa to the zucchini boats I just posted if you needed the filling to stretch a little further. I will post some of my favorite quinoa recipes. I don't have pictures of them right now but I can add them later. If you have any favorite quinoa recipes...please share! As you can see, I LOVE quinoa!!



Here is a great website if you want to learn more about quinoa. Every pantry should include quinoa!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

These are very yummy and yet another great way to use up all the zucchini in your summer gardens! Tender and flavorful and I love the crunch of the nuts! Just think of all the good vegetables you are eating with every bite! You could always add green or red peppers, celery, or any other vegetables that "float your boat". Sorry...couldn't resist!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

5 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4-5 mushrooms, stems removed, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scoop out pulp from zucchini halves and set aside. I used the small end of a melon baller and it worked great! Arrange zucchini halves on a baking sheet. Meanwhile, coarsely chop zucchini pulp.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook onion, chopped zucchini pulp, mushrooms, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add chopped tomatoes right at the end. Stir in chopped nuts. Add oregano, salt and pepper.

Evenly spoon vegetable mixture into zucchini halves. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Serve warm. I served mine with quinoa and a fruit salad. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Enchilada Skillet Bake

Otherwise known in our family as "Dallin's Favorite Dinner". It has the taste of enchiladas with the convenience of stove top cooking. This is one of my quick and easy meals that I usually try to have ingredients for. Serve with a salad and you've got a meal in less than 10 minutes. I originally got the recipe from my roommate, Emily, at BYU. There were 4 of us living in our apartment and we would rotate cooking meals for each other. This was my favorite meal of hers and I always loved it when she made it. I have since adapted it to my family's taste. The original recipe had ground burger in it (I believe...I can't remember exactly now) and shredded cheese melted into the mixture. I can't remember if it had corn or not. You can tell I've been making it "our" way for awhile now. I don't put any cheese in ours but occasionally I have added a tablespoon of cream cheese that I have leftover and that does make it creamy! You can make it with whole grain tortillas for a healthier variation. I used to always use Wal-Mart's store brand enchilada sauce but it isn't carried in our store anymore. I don't know if it's been completely discontinued or if it's just my store but I'm very sad about it. It was my favorite enchilada sauce fore sure! If you can find it in your store I would suggest using it...and if you're close to me let me know where you got it! :o)

Enchilada Skillet Bake

1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
1/4 can water (or more if needed)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
6-10 tortillas, depending on size

In large skillet, heat enchilada sauce and frozen corn until corn is warm. Rip tortillas into about 2" pieces. Stir to coat with sauce. Add tortillas until almost all liquid is absorbed. If it gets too dry just add water if needed. (I've added up to 1/2 can without any change in taste.) You can also add tomato sauce if it seems too spicy for your taste. Simmer on low stirring often for about 5 minutes or until tortillas are soft. Add pinto beans and stir until warm. Can add shredded cheese if desired. (I suggest trying it without cheese first. It's very good and really...you won't miss it or the fat and calories!) Serve warm with a salad on the side.

Foolproof Whole-Wheat Bread

This is the bread recipe my Mom used to always make when we were growing up. It is THE easiest bread recipe! It only rises once and you don't have to roll out the dough. Plus it is a great way to use up wheat that you might have in your food storage. This recipe makes 4 loaves. I usually half the recipe and make 2 loaves at a time. I will include both versions. Half recipe amounts will be in parenthesis. For best results try to grind your wheat right before you make the bread! So fresh! But if you don't have a wheat grinder (or wheat to grind) you can use store bought wheat flour, too.

Foolproof Whole-Wheat Bread

6 cups warm water (3 c. for half recipe)
2/3 cup oil (1/3 c.)2/3 cup honey (1/3 c.) 
2 Tbsp. Dough Enhancer (1 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. salt (1 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. instant yeast (1 Tbsp.)
10 cups wheat to mill in grinder-yields 16 cups freshly ground flour (8 c. ground flour)

Combine warm tap water and 7 cups (4 c.) freshly ground whole-wheat flour. Mix on low until well blended. Add salt, oil, dough enhancer, and honey. Continue to mix until well blended. Add 1 cup (1 c.) flour and sprinkle yeast over mixture. Blend thoroughly.

At this point, if making a full recipe, you may want to divide the dough in half and add flour and knead each half separately in mixer if yours doesn't have the capacity to hold the entire recipe of dough like mine. I also switch to my dough hook at this point.

Add whole-wheat flour until dough pulls away from the side of mixing bowl or is the consistency of cookie dough. (2-3 c. for half recipe) Flour amount will vary due to protein content of wheat. Stickier dough makes moister bread. Knead with dough hook for 6-12 minutes.

Oil hands. Mold dough into loaves on oiled counter. Place in pans that have been greased with shortening. (Pans greased with oil tend to stick.) Apply oil to the top of loaves if soft crust is desired. Cover loaves with towel. Let rise 1/3 in bulk for approximately 35 minutes in warm kitchen. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans. Put on rack to cool. Optional: brush tops with butter. Yield: 4 loaves (2 loaves)

Creamy Portobello Broccoli Soup

I wanted to create a recipe that was as close to my Grandma's Cheese-Broccoli Soup as I could get, without the 2 lbs. of Velveeta cheese! (Because let's face it, that just can't be healthy!) I have to admit...this soup turned out better than I could have imagined! Soooo good and creamy! And the amazing part is that it doesn't contain any cheese or dairy! If you don't have portobello mushrooms then go ahead and use regular but don't leave out the mushrooms! If you'd rather not use the beef bouillon cubes then just use regular salt to taste. Also, I think a can of white Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained, could be good in this.

Creamy Portobello Broccoli Soup

SAUTE IN LARGE SOUP POT:
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large portobello mushroom, chopped

ADD:
6 cups water
4 Beef Bouillon cubes (or salt to taste)
Boil together until dissolved.

ADD:
8 oz. spaghetti, broken into fourths
Boil 5 minutes.

ADD:
1 (16-20 oz.) package frozen chopped broccoli
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

IN SEPARATE MIXING BOWL COMBINE:
4 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup cold water
Whisk until smooth. Gradually add 1 1/2 more cups of cold water. Stir until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the hot soup stirring constantly until well blended. This helps thicken the soup.

ADD:
2 cups non-dairy milk (such as rice or soy or regular milk if you prefer) This makes it creamy!
1/2 tsp. pepper
Cook 4 minutes or until broccoli and noodles are cooked.

Crab Pasta Salad

I made this recipe up for one of our 4th of July festivities. It was really good! I think I'd like to throw a diced cucumber in there next time. I don't like my salads very "saucy" but if you do you may want to increase the mayo and ranch amounts to 1/2 cup each (or more).

Crab Pasta Salad

1 package small-size pasta, cook as directed
8-12 oz. imitation crab meat, flaked
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/3 cup low fat mayo
1/3 cup low fat ranch
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
salt and pepper to taste
baby spinach or salad greens
cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook pasta as directed. Rinse with cold water and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine mayo and ranch dressing until well mixed. Add thawed peas, onion, and salt and pepper. Mix gently with pasta. Add flaked crab meat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve on a bed of spinach or salad with cherry tomatoes on top.