The Snyder Family Cookbook

BUTTERMILK MUFFINS

2011-10-15T20:54:00.003-06:00

This recipe was on All RECIPES here.

See the cook's notes at the end. I'm going to try it with cheddar cheese and cooked bacon. I couldn't tell that there was any bacon in it but one family member could and said it added a little something.

BASIC BUTTERMILK MUFFINS
"This is a great basic muffin batter that can be adapted to almost anything."

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed (the batter will not be smooth). Gently stir in fruit, if desired (see Cook's Note).
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins; fill the cups almost to the top. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 18 minutes.

Note: I was out of butter, (when is the price of butter going to come down??) so I used about 3
Tbs. of olive oil and one Tbs. of water. They muffins tasted fine.

Cook's Note

You can add 1 cup of almost any fruit, nut, or baking chips to this recipe by folding in at the end, and adding spices to match (blueberries and lemon zest, for example, or peeled chopped apples and cinnamon).

LEMON CHICKEN -- oh so good!

2011-09-19T21:09:00.004-06:00

I'm so sorry there is not a picture of this. We gobbled it right up. And then I went to the grocery store and bought two cans of pineapple juice at full price because I couldn't wait for juice to be on sale.

LEMON CHICKEN
Lynne Snyder

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 small, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
1 c flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup olive oil(start w/less butter and oil and add as needed)

Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup pineapple juice
3 T. cornstarch
1 cup sugar
Juice from 4 lemons

Combine flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Shake chicken cutlets in flour mixture. In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil together and cook chicken breasts slowly, until browned.

While chicken is cooking make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a medium sauce pan, heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Pour over cooked chicken in the skillet, making sure you get all the browned bits scraped into the sauce. Serve with white or brown rice.

Note: I left some of the chicken w/out the sauce for Phil because he says he doesn't like lemon chicken. He ate one of the plain ones and then ate one of the lemon ones and then he put the plain ones in the sauce and said, "Yours are better!"

APPLE PIE FILLING

2010-10-27T14:47:00.006-06:00

APPLE PIE FILLING--Lynne Snyder

4 cups sugar
1 cup corn starch
1 Tbs. cinnamon*
1 tsp. nutmeg*
1 tsp. salt
10 cups water
3 Tbs. lemon juice

*more if desired

Peel and slice Golden Delicious apples. Put them in cold water with some salt added to keep the apples from browning.

Mix sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt well, then add
water and lemon juice. Cook until thickened. Fill quart jars half
full. Drain apples well. Fill jar with apples, pressing down to cover with syrup. Do not fill them beyond the neck of the jar. Put on lids; process for 50 minutes. Makes 7 quarts.

I have never once made an apple pie with this and I guess I have made hundreds of quarts of this through the years. We heat it and serve as a side dish with pork or any dinner that needs a little some ting extra.

Caution--if using a steam canner. Do NOT keep the temperature on high the whole time like I did with my first couple of batches this year. The pie filling will boil over, especially if you remove the lid as soon as the time is up. The filling with flow out of the bottles like a volcano and then your jars will not seal. I finally--after two disastrous batches--kept the steam escaping the steam holes at about six inches. When the time was up I removed the steamer from the heat and let it cool for at about ten minutes. Then, because I'm not full of faith, I turned the jars upside down. They all sealed this way.

If you have one of these your job will be much easier.

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

2010-10-06T19:54:00.007-06:00

Cream of Tomato Soup--Lynne Snyder --I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Internet and now I can't find it to give them credit.

Today was a rainy October day and I wanted a good homemade soup so I fiddled with a recipe I found online. It was very tasty. Phil said, "This is a keeper," and Elizabeth said it was good too. It was a good way to use up surplus tomatoes.

2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped

6-8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

lots of ripe tomatoes--I didn't measure but I think there were at least 8 to 12 cups

4-8 cups broth of your choice, depending on how many tomatoes you use--I used water and the "Better than Chicken" base sold at Costco, I probably used at least 2 tablespoons, maybe a bit more

1 Tbs. of olive oil

1 Tbs. butter

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar

white or black pepper, if desired

the original recipe said 4 cloves. So I put four cloves in but later wondered if they meant four cloves of garlic as they also said "One onion slice" which I thought probably meant one onion, sliced. So did they mean 4 cloves? I added them PLUS garlic and took the cloves out at about 3/4 of the cooking time. You can put them in or not. I did not blend them with the rest of the soup.

1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese

Saute the onion and garlic a few minutes, add tomatoes, broth and salt. Simmer thirty minutes to an hour or until you can tell it will be a good consistency when blended.

At this point the mixture needs to be put through a food mill or a blender but be careful if using a blender and only do a couple of cups at a time and use a thick towel to hold the blender lid on. I used an immersion blender but there were bits of tomato skin which Phil didn't mind, but I did. I later used a food mill so the soup would be smoother.

Return soup to the pot and add one tsp. of sugar, taste and add other teaspoon if it needs it. Add pepper if desired.

Add an eight ounce block of cream cheese and stir until melted. Next time I would add half of the cream cheese to the soup and mix the rest of the cream cheese with chopped basil, put a spoonful in each bowl, and pour the hot soup over. OR you could eliminate the cream cheese and add whipping cream to each bowl, even canned milk would do in a pinch.

ENCHILADAS--Hillary's Mother-in-law, Heidi, one of the BEST cooks

2010-03-22T23:44:00.008-06:00

One large onion, chopped or two or three Tbs. of minced dried onions, rehydrated in water to cover.

One can chopped green chilies--4 oz.--I buy the whole ones and chop them myself as I've had a few cans of "chopped" that were green chili "soup"

1 can olives, cut in half--6 oz.

1 pound cheddar/jack cheese (plus a good cup or more extra for the topping)

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped fine

2 Enchilada seasoning mix pkgs.--1.25 ounces

2 cans tomato paste--6 oz.

4 cups water

14 corn tortillas

Make the enchiladas sauce using seasoning mix, tomato paste and water. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with vegetable spray. Put 1 1/4 cup sauce in the bottom of the pan, Tear seven tortillas into pieces and cover bottom of the pan with them.

Mix onion, green chili's, olives, cheese and eggs. Layer on top of tortillas. Top with a layer of sauce, about 1 1/2 cup/ Tear remaining tortillas and put on top of filling. Cover with sauce. You will have sauce leftover--just throw it away.

Bake in 350 degree oven about 1/2 hour or until hot. Cover with a good layer of shredded cheese and bake about three minutes more. Serve over salad, dressed with Ranch dressing or you favorite dressing.

I loved these but Phil says they are not his favorite. His favorite? Green enchiladas. Oops, I see that recipe isn't here yet. I'll add it one of these days.

PS Buy the pkgs. of enchiladas seasoning mix on sale for 3/$1.oo and the tomato paste for the same price, then when you want to make enchiladas you will be ready. I'd much rather shop in my basement than at the store.

PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS

2010-03-03T22:03:00.004-07:00

¾ to 1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup peanut butter
½ cup corn syrup or alternative sweetener like Agave or honey
½ cup melted butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 ½ cups old fashioned oats
1/3 to ½ cup flax seeds
1 cup walnuts or some other nuts
½ cup raisins or craisins
1 cup chocolate chips if desired—we didn’t desire

Mix first five ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients, mix well and press firmly into a 9x13 inch pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until barely brown around the edges. Cut when granola bars are still warm. Let cool before re-cutting and removing from the pan. Store in airtight container. Try not to eat them all the first two days.

FABULOUS FOOD FROM TWO LUNCHEONS

2009-12-08T20:11:00.011-07:00

I went to two luncheon's today. One at 11:00 and one at 1:30--we didn't eat until after 3:00 at the second one. Thank goodness. The food was outstanding. I will post the recipes here as I get them from my friends.

This was fabulous. We put it on French bread. She used Simply Fruit for the raspberry jam.

RASPBERRY HONEY BUTTER--brought by Marcia Ogden
From the Lion House Cookbook

1 lb of butter (4 cubes)
1 cup of honey
1 cup of raspberry jam
1 tsp vanilla
Beat the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the honey, jam, and vanilla beating until it is mixed in.

This unusual fudge was delicious. I was going to take my piece home but I took one bite and ate it all!

CHERRY CHEESECAKE FUDGE –brought by Marcia Ogden

1 pound white chocolate, in chunks, or real white chocolate chips
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup drained maraschino cherries, in halves or quarters

Carefully melt the white chocolate in a double boiler, or in the microwave on low power, stirring every 20 seconds to make sure it doesn't burn. Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and heat in the microwave for about 1 minute on high, so that it's slightly warm and softened.

Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl. Add the white chocolate and beat until the mixture is well-blended. Fold in cherries. Pour in an 8-by-8-inch pan that's been buttered or lined with foil or plastic wrap. Chill several hours or overnight, until firm. Makes about 5 dozen 1-inch pieces. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Very good.
RASPBERRY & DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE --brought by Marcia Ogden

12-ounces dark dipping chocolate, or a 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup regular or heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam, at room temperature

Melt the chocolate or chips in a large bowl in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds to make sure they don't burn. Marcia used a double boiler. She says she doesn’t dare do it in the microwave.

Pour whipped cream in a glass cup and heat in the microwave about 30 seconds, until it's warm. Add the warm cream to the melted chocolate, and blend the mixture together with an electric mixer. Add the jam and continue beating until well-mixed.

Pour the mixture into an 8-by-8-inch pan that's been buttered or lined with foil or plastic wrap. Chill until firm, 2-4 hours or overnight. Makes about 5 dozen 1-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator.

I was only going to eat 1/2 of the following sandwich as I had another luncheon to go to in the afternoon. I ate it ALL and thought, how can I eat another one without being obvious? I didn't do it but I wanted to. You could bake these and then keep in the fridge for late night snacking. Mmm.

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches--brought by Jo Tuckett

2 dozen small rolls
6 oz. Swiss cheese
8 oz. sliced ham
1 ½ T. poppy seeds
1 ½ T. prepared mustard
1 stick butter, melted
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. minced onion

Make sandwiches with rolls, ham and cheese. The ones I made I used Miracle Whip and a little mustard on the sandwiches. Mix the 5 remaining ingredients well with a wire whisk and pour over sandwiches. Leave uncovered until butter sets. Cover with foil. They can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or overnight.Bake 15 min. at 350. Enjoy!

The following salad was very good:

CASHEW SALAD--from Worldwide Ward Cookbook

Salad:
3 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
4 C cashews
1 6-oz bag craisins
2 apples, chopped
2 pears, chopped
4 oz Swiss cheese, cubed

Dressing:
Prepare dressing the day before
3/4 C canola oil
2/3 C sugar
1 Tbsp red onion, finely grated
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp ground dry mustard
1/3 C fresh lemon juice

Combine all salad ingredients and toss with dressing immediately before serving. Makes 12 servings.

I brought the following. I make them every Christmas for pot lucks and then wonder why I only make them at Christmas. These aren't hot--with the cayenne--but have a tiny bit of a bite. I didn't use this much cayenne today but wish I had because there was no bite.

I got this off the food network years ago. I think I tweaked it a bit. Yup, just checked, I did. Originally called for chopped onion and it was hard to get the onion to hold together with the rest of the mixture. You could use 2 fresh garlic cloves, pressed if you want instead of the garlic powder. Original recipe called for twice the cayenne.

SPINACH PARMESAN BALLS --Food Network --brought by Lynne Snyder

1 pound package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed somewhat dryish
5 eggs
1 Tbs. onion powder
10 Tbs. butter, melted
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese—I just use the Kraft grated cheese in the green canister
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. slightly rounded cayenne pepper

1 ¾ cups Italian bread crumbs

the oven to 350°Squeeze excess water from spinach and put in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well by hand. Form into 1-inch balls. Place the balls closely together on baking sheet. Cook in top half of oven until firm to the touch and just the tiniest bit brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

This is what I took to the second luncheon. It's a very good salad and very showy. Everyone wants the recipe.

POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING—Lynne Snyder

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup cold pressed safflower oil or any salad oil
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. dry mustard

Mix all ingredients together. ½ hour before serving pour over:

1 red onion, sliced thin
½ pound to ¾ pound mushrooms, sliced

When ready to serve pour over:

1 head lettuce, chopped
1 (10-oz.) pkg. spinach,
chopped

Note: The original recipe called for adding some crisp cooked bacon cut into small pieces and about ½ cup cottage cheese to the lettuce/spinach just before tossing with the mushrooms and dressing.

I always use red onion and mushrooms. Lately I have been adding re-hydrated dried tomatoes and chopped red or yellow or orange bell pepper and even substituting a chopped bunch of green onions for the red onion. If I do that I leave out the poppy seeds. Actually I could leave them in but I am out of poppy seeds at the moment.

CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES

2009-11-13T11:05:00.009-07:00

This is the original version--larger cookies, mints melted on top and then spread as a glaze.This is the latest version. Smaller cookies with a Jr. Mint pressed in the middle as soon as they were taken out of the oven. This way is much easier. CHOCOLATE MINT CANDY COOKIES (I tried to find where I got this recipe but it's on all kinds of sites on the Internet--It is a keeper.)
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 (4.5 ounce) packages chocolate covered thin mints--OR Jr. Mints

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls (half this size if using a Jr. Mint in the center) and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, be careful not to over bake--I baked the smaller ones for 7 minutes.

When cookies come out of the oven, Press one mint wafer into the top of each cookie and let sit for 1 minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.

I used three Jr. Mints for each cookie but they didn't melt, so the cookies, with the Jr. Mints on top, had to go back in the oven for two minutes and then I used a knife to spread them. Four Jr. Mints would have been better. For the smaller cookies I just put one Jr. Mint in the top and didn't bother it at all. Just let it cool. Another option would be to spread when cool with chocolate frosting with a bit of mint stirred in.

These really are delicious.

APPLE OATMEAL CRISP

2009-10-19T19:25:00.005-06:00

I got this recipe from Allrecipes.com. It is good, has streusel on the bottom and the top. Serve with ice cream.

Note: I made it with the suggested amount of sugar--put over apples--and it was really sweet, too sweet. The crust and topping have plenty of sugar and that part is really good. Cut the sugar--mixed with the cinnamon--down as suggested. You could maybe even cut that part of the sugar out.

APPLE OATMEAL CRISP

9x13 pan size

1½ cups brown sugar
1½ cups rolled oats
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup butter, melted
4½ cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional
½ cup white sugar (this was in the original recipe but it is a lot of sugar, especially if you use the cranberries--I would use only a fourth of a cup next time or maybe only 2 Tbs.)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Tbs. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with vegetable spray.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples and cranberries (if using) evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Add 1 Tbs. water to remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle on top of apples.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream.

APPLE OATMEAL CRISP

8 or 9 inch square pan size

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped
5 Tbs. white sugar (See above--probably too much sugar. If using any at all cut it down to 2 Tbs. or less)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tsp. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 inch square pan with vegetable spray.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples--and cranberries, if using--evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Add 2 tsp. water to remaining crumb mixture and sprinkle on top of apples. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream.

TERIYAKI CHICKEN BOWLS

2009-09-26T21:18:00.006-06:00

Teriyaki Chicken Bowls--Taylor Snyder

Sauce:

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. cold water

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced, whichever is easier

1 Tbs. fresh grated ginger

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. He used about 12 to 14, depending on size.

Fresh broccoli and cauliflower steamed (other veggies if desired)

White or brown rice, cooked

Simmer all sauce ingredients together until thick. Put chicken in lightly greased 9x13 pan and dob with sauce. Cover with foil and bake in 425 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Turn chicken over, dob with sauce and bake another 20 to 30 minutes or until done. You can uncover chicken the last 10 minutes to glaze if desired. ("Dob" is a French technical cooking term, I'm pretty sure.)

Chop chicken. Serve in bowls: rice, veggies, chicken, add sauce as desired.

Note: If you want sauce with a little added heat add some red chili sauce. Taylor leaves most of the sauce as is and makes some a bit hotter.

A photo of the recipe's author. Don't you just love your kids when they won't let you take their photos?

Sauce with added heat.

Some of the partakers of the goodness.
This is excellent. I promise. Phil was home with a tooth ache and didn't get to go so Taylor sent him a humongous container full. Phil loved it. I love it. The kids love it. One of the kids wasn't home and the momma of the tribe was on another one hundred mile bike ride. She was probably glad to come home to a wonderful dinner.

WHITNEY'S NOODLES

2009-09-14T20:42:00.012-06:00

This is a cheap, filling meal. It's named after my nephew, Whitney, who served his mission in Taiwan and learned to cook inexpensive meals. Eggs.

Bacon.

Onions and garlic.

Veggies--this is the crookneck squash. Add half of the seasoning pkgs. to the veggies as they are cooking. Boil the noodles with the other half of the seasoning pkgs. Mix everything together and serve. Delicious. Thanks, Whitney. WHITNEY'S NOODLES--Whitney Peterson

Some kind of meat. I have only ever used bacon but other meats could be used or if you're a vegetarian just leave the meat out.

Eggs
Onions and garlic
Mushrooms--I didn't have any but usually always use them.
Veggies--I used two good sized crookneck squash and one good sized zucchini
Other veggies--lots of things could be used.
Ramen noodles, one pkg for each person

Boil ramen noodles with one half of the seasoning pkg. Boil only 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain. Use the remaining seasoning pkg. in the veggies.

Cook bacon, drain well. Set aside. I add everything to an oven proof bowl in a 200 degree oven to keep things warm while I sauté the remaining ingredients.

Sauté one veggie at a time and add to bowl in the oven--or you could steam them with a bit of water. I used some of the bacon grease and it was too greasy. I couldn't find my original recipe so I sautéed the veggies for too long. You want the veggies to have a bit of crunch.

Cook the eggs and then cut them into chunks.

Add everything together and serve.

I made extra as I want to send them some to my neighbor. I told her about the recipe but she looked at me a little oddly so I want her to taste it. Her daughter has gone away to college and needs cheap, filling meals.

BUTTERMILK PIE

2009-09-05T22:51:00.006-06:00

This doesn't look like pie, does it. It's the "for the masses" version. I took one of these cookie sheets of pie to a funeral luncheon and one to my grandson's baptism luncheon. Here's what the regular size looks like.It's delicious. Maybe you should make some. Here is the recipe for a pie size. The recipe for a cookie sheet size--which serves 20 with nice generous squares follows.

BUTTERMILK PIE--This is a very old Bisquick recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray pie plate with vegetable spray.

In a blender, mix the following (this isn't in order of quantities, but the order I put things into the blender):

1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup melted butter, cooled to luke warm
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick ( I always use pancake mix because I don't ever have Bisquick in the house. I do have a recipe for homemade Bisquick. If anyone wants it leave a message in the comments section and I'll post it.)

Blend one minute. Pour into greased pie plate and bake for 30-35 minutes.

BUTTERMILK PIE FOR THE MASSES--Makes a cookie sheet full--17x12 inches.

This is tricky in a blender. If your blender won't handle this much liquid make halfish of it and pour it into a bowl and then make the remaining halfish, mix them together and pour into greased cookie sheet.

2 2/3 cups buttermilk
8 eggs
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup melted butter--I only use 1/2 cup and it turns out fine
4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups Bisquick--I use pancake mix because I never have Bisquick in the house.

Blend really well in blender--maybe in two batches--and pour into greased cookie sheet. Bake 35 minutes.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

2009-08-03T23:56:00.007-06:00

Delicious.

Self – Frosting Chocolate Zucchini Cake--Muum’s Musings blog

½ c. butter
½ c. oil
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

2 ½ c flour
4-6 T cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder (Oops! I used a Tbs. of baking powder and it worked fine--maybe with one teaspoon it would have been a more dense cake, but it was delicious)
½ t cinnamon (optional--I didn't use this)

1/2 c sour cream or buttermilk (I used sour cream because that's what I had)

2 c finely grated zucchini

Mix oil, butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs. Mix well. (I did all the mixing by hand)

Sift the dry ingredients together, including the cocoa. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk or sour cream .

Add the zucchini by hand. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 pan

Mix the following and crumble on top of the cake:

¾ c chocolate chips
¾ c chopped nuts
¾ c brown sugar

Bake @ 350º for 35-45 minutes or until done. Serves 12 (I cut the cake into 15 pieces and they were large.)

Note: Omit cinnamon to bring out better chocolate taste.

Note two: Next time I am going to replace half the oil and half the butter with applesauce and see how it turns out.

TASTES-BETTER-THAN-IT-LOOKS PASTA SALAD

2009-06-25T11:16:00.008-06:00

I'm calling this salad '"Tastes-Better-Than-It-Looks Pasta Salad because it's so plain--kind of like a girl with a face that doesn't stop traffic. Perhaps I should change the noodles, but the family knows this salad with macaroni noodles so I probably won't. Besides that, my daughter-in-law told Phil this was the best pasta salad she's ever eaten. What better praise could you have?

This photo was taken two full days after I made the salad so it's looking a little weary. I usually forget to take food photos until we've either gobbled everything up or almost gobbled it up. This time, because I made a double batch we still had some. The peas were bright green the first day--not so much today, when I took the photo.

TASTES-BETTER-THAN-IT-LOOKS PASTA SALAD--Lynne Snyder

1 part Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1 to 3 parts sweet cucumber chip’s pickle juice (taste and decide how much pickle juice you want to use)
chopped sweet pickles
canned tuna
shredded carrots

finely diced celery
frozen peas
finely minced green onions
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper
Elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed and drained.

I used a one pound pkg. of pasta to one can of tuna, about 1 1/4 (or more) cups Miracle Whip, a pint of home canned sweet pickles and all the juice, 2 medium carrots, 8 oz. frozen peas, 3 stalks of celery, one bunch of green onions and then seasoned it with salt, pepper and cayenne.

MEXICAN CASSEROLE

2009-06-22T22:22:00.007-06:00

Mmm, good. This was served at our Enrichment dinner last Tuesday. Our theme was, "What Can't You Do Without?" We had everyone bring what they couldn't do without--family and scriptures didn't count so it had to be something else. I took three things but which are all part of my one thing I can't do without. My little desk lamp which shines on my magnifying mirror which I use to pluck my chin hairs--which are actually stray eyebrows (according to Janette Barber: “I refuse to think of them as chin hairs. I think of them as stray eyebrows”). I pluck every single night, whether I need to or not. That is one of my pet peeves, women with moustaches or chin hairs. Pluck Lynne, pluck. So my one thing I can't do without were tweezers.

MEXICAN CASSEROLE--Carolyn Heaton

1 box Spanish Rice mix (Rice a Roni®)

1 (15 oz.) can chopped tomatoes—to use in Rice a Roni

½ pkg Doritos Tortilla chips
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can chopped tomatoes with green chilies
1 can Hatch’s green enchilada sauce
2 cups grated cheese, a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar

Make rice dish as directed, using the one can of chopped tomatoes. Put rice in 9x13 pan, top with 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies. Layer Doritos, crushed a bit. Top with beans, drained and rinsed. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake in 350 for 35 minutes.

Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, dollop of sour cream and chopped avocado. Can add olives if desired.

OKAY, I DIDN'T EXACTLY MAKE IT LIKE THAT. THIS IS WHAT I DID.

Made the Rice a Roni as pkg. directions. I used a little more than half of a quart of diced, home-canned tomatoes in the Rice a Roni. Didn't put the extra can of canned tomatoes on top--saved it for later. Topped with a bunch of tortilla chips from Costco. Drained a can of pinto beans and black beans and mixed with one can--NOT drained--of S&W Caribbean beans--I buy them to make Cafe Rio salad so I have a bunch in my food storage--plus two Tbs. of Red Hot liquid seasoning. (I dislike kidney beans so I rarely buy them.) Topped them with the rest of the quart of tomatoes, drained. topped that with a can of green enchilada sauce--I would have made my own--I'm a home-made type girl but I'm all out of green chilies. Topped with Mozzarella cheese only as I was too lazy to hunt up any cheddar cheese in the freezer. Baked loosely covered--kind of tented so the aluminum foil didn't touch the cheese--for 45 minutes at 350°. Uncovered the casserole, turned the oven to 400° until it was a little brown on top and bubbling.

For the salad I mixed tomatoes, chopped multi-colored peppers, pepperoncini--also known as pickled banana peppers, and lettuce. I made guacamole, had sour cream and ranch dressing on the side.

Of course, I forgot to take photos until everyone was finished so no photo of the salad and guacamole and sour cream but everyone knows what salad and guacamole and sour cream looks like anyway.

It was very good. Lord Bumhampton had several servings and really liked it. We all really liked it. Go forth and bake some.

RHUBARB FRUIT LEATHER

2009-06-13T22:48:00.013-06:00

Grow it. Wash it. Cut it.

Sugar it.

Cook it.

Blend it.

Flavor it.

Blend it some more.

Spray a cookie sheet with vegetable spray. Smooth it out.Pour the hot mixture on a cookie sheet.

Make sure it's evenly spread. Put it in the oven. Make sure the door is cracked so the moisture can escape. I use a wooden spoon.
The finished product. Peel it off the cookie sheet, cut it into rolls and eat. It's delicious. No one can tell it is not normal fruit leather and it's practically free.

The light colored one is watermelon kiwi, the red is cherry and the dark is orange with some dried cherries blended in.

RHUBARB FRUIT LEATHER –Lynne Snyder

4 cups rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ cup water
1 pkg unsweetened Kool Aid®

Wash rhubarb and cut into ½ inch pieces. Put rhubarb, sugar and water into a pot and bring to a boil. I cover it at first and then uncover it to boil as much liquid off as possible.

As soon as the rhubarb is soft you can blend it—I use an immersion blender—also called a “stick” or “hand held” blender. If you use a normal blender be extremely careful as hot liquids will “pop” the lid. You may want to let it cool some before blending and then hold the lid on with a kitchen towel folded to make many layers. Add pkg. of Kool Aid, blend again. Pour onto greased cookie sheet—I spray with “Pam” and then smooth it out with my hands. Try to get the rhubarb mixture as evenly spread as possible—maybe even a little thicker on the edges as they dry faster. Put in a dehydrator or an oven set to a low temperature—my oven has a dehydrator feature on it and I can get it to a low temperature and a fan continually runs so it is a more even heat. I even make yogurt in the oven which takes a 110° temperature. For the rhubarb leather I dry it at 140°. This takes at least a day.

Dehydrate until almost dry. Let cool, peel off cookie sheet, roll and cut.

Sometimes I peel off the cookie sheet and put the leather, top side down, right on the oven rack and let it dry for another hour or so. You can lightly dust with cornstarch if desired.

Years and years ago I dried the leather in a car, with a window cracked. The car smelled divine! Just make sure the cookie sheet is perfectly level. And don’t drive off when the leather is in a liquid state. You will be cleaning up a mess. I called this my redneck dehydrator.

Our favorite flavors are grape and cherry but they are all good...except lemonaid. That flavor was so sour.

If you have some fresh fruit you can blend it in the the liquid rhubarb. If you have enough you don't need the Kool Aid as your leather will take on the flavor of the fruit. Taste it before pouring it on the cookie sheet to see if it has enough flavor.

ZIPPY SALAD

2009-05-19T20:15:00.005-06:00

This is probably Phil's favorite "raw" recipe. I love it too but not like he does. He will eat it for days so I always make a lot. Zippy Salad—Lynne Snyder

3-4 diced tomatoes (I used roma)
3 cups frozen corn OR fresh corn, cut off the cob
1 cup chopped celery
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped OR 1 small jicama, peeled and diced
¼ cup chopped onion or 1 Tbs. dried onion

Dressing:
¼ cup (total) mixture of Olive oil
and Safflower oil
1/3 cup lime juice
8 sundried tomatoes (in oil), chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
¼ to ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dry basil OR use fresh basil, julienned
¼ tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
¼ tsp. dill weed

Mix salad ingredients together set aside. Mix dressing ingredients together, pour over salad, mix well.

CRUNCHY, SWEET AND SAVORY SALAD

2009-05-19T19:19:00.007-06:00

This was adapted from a recipe from Juliano, (THE UNCOOK BOOK). He owns a raw restaurant called "Juliano's Raw" in Santa Monica, California.

NOTE: It makes a LOT, way too much for normal consumption. Cut it in half or even in fourth.

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned

1 large carrot, julienned

1 large yam or 2 medium, sliced and julienned

1/2 cup quartered walnuts

1/2 cup cashews

2 large apples, peeled, sliced thin and cut in half--I used Fuji

1 cup dried cranberries

1 bunch chopped green onions, including most of the tops

1/2-1 jalapeno, minced--I forgot to do this

1 cup--or to taste--fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 to 1/2 cup--or to taste--maple syrup--start with lower measurement

1/4 cup--or to taste--fresh squeezed lemon juice

4-6 cloves garlic, pressed

2-3 Tbs. olive oil

2-3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2-3 Tbs. Nama Shoyu OR soy sauce

1 tsp-1 Tbs. freshly grated ginger--more if you are crazy about ginger.

Mix the first set of ingredients together. Mix the second set of ingredients together and taste, adjust to suit your taste. Pour over fruit and veggies and mix well.

CHICKEN TACOS

2009-05-14T23:28:00.010-06:00

Start with corn tortillas, fried in a little oil.Top it with sour cream.

Add hot sauce.

Pile on the chicken mixture,

and spinach.
Fold over and eat.

Yummy.
If you want to save calories just pile everything on spinach leaves. Delicious.

And soon this was all that was left. These are our favorite hot sauces, both are mild and I love them both.

CHICKEN TACOS—Good things Utah—original recipe here.

2 tablespoons butter
Canola oil, for frying I never use Canola oil! It does bad stuff to me.
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces I used already cooked chicken
3 tablespoons chopped onion (I used ½ red onion, next time will use a whole one, I think)
I added one chopped jalapeno but will use 2 or 3 next time
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped (I used one –15 oz.—can diced tomatoes, drained, because I was out of tomatoes)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic salt I used garlic powder

12 corn tortillas

TOPPINGS:
Shredded Cheddar cheese, pepper Jack cheese, or a combination
Sour cream
Fresh spinach, thinly sliced I didn't slice it, just piled it on
Fresh Salsa or Tabasco sauce
Lime wedges.

6 servings--Ha! We each ate four. But we didn't eat any Mexican rice or refried beans. Does that make us less piggy?

Thanks to Aunt Sue, (this was the Aunt Sue from whoever gave the recipe on Good Things Utah) we have been making these tacos for over 30 years. This is an original Mexican recipe and is one of our family favorites. You may skip frying the tortillas and simply make soft tacos with heated tortillas.

1. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and onions and cook and stir until the onions are soft and the chicken is tender and no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute more. Decrease the heat to low and stir in the tomato and cilantro. Add water (or chicken broth) if the mixture seems too dry. Season generously with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Continue cooking about 2 minutes. Cover and turn off the heat. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. Heat 3/4 cup of canola oil (I only used a couple of tablespoons of expeller pressed safflower oil) in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry one tortilla: With tongs turn it once to cook both sides, then quickly fold halfway over and cook for a few more seconds to make the taco shape I just left it flat. Drain on paper towels. Place the tortilla in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, putting each one into the oven to keep warm. (If the taco shells cool, they lose their crispness and become tough and chewy.) For soft tacos, simply heat the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over high heat for a few seconds on each side. (Or wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and heat in the oven at 275 degrees for 20 minutes.)

3. To serve, place a small amount of the chicken mixture in each taco shell. Put the filled tacos on a platter and serve. Pass the cheese, sour cream, spinach, salsa or hot sauce and lime.

Serve with Mexican Rice with Fresh Tomatoes and refried beans with a little shredded cheese on top. We didn't do any of that and it was a great dinner.

Do NOT make this!

2009-04-20T10:19:00.003-06:00

Do NOT put equal parts of honey and mustard over chicken and put in the crockpot and then have your husband's assistant ward clerk over to dinner--because the ward clerk got his patriarchal blessing from the patriarch who lives just down the street (Phil was driving him from BYU to the patriarch's house and back to BYU when he was finished because the assistant ward clerk doesn't have a car) and you just could NOT not have him to dinner, even though you got out of church an hour after they were home so the minute you came in the door you ran...okay, this hypothetical person didn't run...to the kitchen and started cooking rice and making salad and other things and then this person tasted the chicken and about died because it was not good but what could she do, having the clerk to dinner and all, so she served it--with apologies--and it was not her favorite but it IS on the top of her not-favorite list. So, don't do that.

But the cute ward clerk ate at least two pieces and said his mom didn't cook Sunday dinner--they only ate cereal--so maybe he was semi-impressed. Not with the chicken but because we had a tablecloth and rice and salad--with my totally wonderful lemon/garlic salad dressing--and other tasty offerings. For dessert I served him my divine homemade yogurt over strawberries.

I'll post how to make the yogurt soon. It is strawberry season, you know, the perfect reason to make yogurt.

And about the chicken? You have been warned. Trust me.

LEMON LAYER DESSERT

2009-04-07T18:57:00.004-06:00

LEMON LAYER DESSERT--Joan Sorensen gave me this recipe years and years ago. I have yet to find a lemon dessert as good.

When this dessert first came out about twenty-five years ago Robert Redford said it was his favorite. That Robert, he's a smart man.

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 square butter
½ cup nuts
Mix together. Press in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool

Layer One:
1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip (from an 8 ounce tub.)
Mix together and spread on top of cooled crust.

Layer Two:
Mix 2 small pkg. lemon pudding (instant) with 3 cups milk.
Put on top of cream cheese layer.

Layer three: Put remaining whipped topping on the top. Keep in the refrigerator until served.

You can use chocolate pudding in place of lemon pudding. Put chocolate shavings on top of the cool whip. Joan says the chocolate is good but nothing like the lemon.

RASPBERRY DELIGHT--I CALL IT "RASPBERRY FOOL" BECAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO MAKE FOOLS OF THEMSELVES OVER IT

2009-04-02T23:49:00.001-06:00

I really wanted my daughter-in-laws recipe for this but she wasn't home when I called. While I was waiting for her to get back to me I did an Internet search and found this recipe. I was half finished before she got back to me so it's a bit different, but everyone at the dinner party liked it and so did Phil.

RASPBERRY DELITE or RASPBERRY FOOL

Crust
2 cups Flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped nuts

Layer 1
2 cups powdered sugar
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
4 (1 1/3 ounce) envelopes Dream Whip (prepared)

Note: I used half again as much of everything--3 cups powdered sugar, 3 pkgs. cream cheese, I didn't have any more Dream Whip so I used 2 cups Cool Whip--I might not do that again as it made this layer very thick but...very good.

layer 2
2 (4 3/4 ounce) packages junket danish dessert mix (raspberry flavored, prepared minus 1/2 c water for each pkg.) --I forgot to leave out the 1 cup water and it was okay, I think it would be too thick the way the directions say. Maybe leave out 1/4 cup water per recipe would be okay or even 2 tablespoons.
2 (12 ounce) packages frozen raspberries

Mix ingredients for crust and press into a cookie sheet Bake 375° for 20 minutes or till golden brown. (Cool completely--I put mine in the cold garage for a half hour.) I put the flour, butter and brown sugar in the food processor, mixed until butter was in tiny pieces. I added the nuts and pulsed the machine until they were in tiny pieces.

For layer one: Mix powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth and fold in dream whip (set aside).

For layer 2 Mix prepared danish dessert w/ frozen raspberries--while it is still warm.

Spread cream cheese mixture carefully over cooled crust and then spread raspberries on top.

Refrigerate several hours. Cut and serve. Serves 24 but sometimes there is a fool or two in the audience and it only serves 22. Or even 20! This has been known to happen at our house when Sharee brings this dessert. We find sneaky people in the kitchen--with forks and a guilty face.

GINGER COOKIES

2009-02-14T20:07:00.008-07:00

This is a most unusual recipe. The cookies are delicious but leave you wondering, "What on EARTH is that taste I can't identify." It's a mystery ingredient and the first time I read the recipe I thought, "There is no way I am making those." But the second year they showed up at my door for Christmas--and I hid them so no one else would know they were there--I decided maybe the mystery ingredient was okay. So today I made them for Valentine's Day and delivered them to the sisters I visit teach. Not a heart shaped cookie for my friends but an interesting one. I'd probably rather be interesting than traditional. Well, it depends, I guess but today I went for interesting.

GINGER COOKIES—Tamalin Christen*

¼ cup strained bacon fat--this is the mystery ingredient
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ cup dark molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Cream fat and butter with sugar. Beat in molasses and egg. Add dry ingredients and combine. Shape dough into walnut-size balls, roll in sugar and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 10-12 minutes until cookies are golden and cracked on top. Cook on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

*Tamalin is a caterer who makes divine food. She helped cater Lord Bumhampton and Nurse Giggleswith's wedding reception. The food was beautiful and delicious.

ORANGE SAUCE FOR CHICKEN

2009-01-21T13:14:00.006-07:00

Original recipe here. I tweaked it and thought it was perfect. Even Her Excellency of Mousehole said it was perfect. Then she threatened me. "Don't do anything more to it. You'll ruin it!" She knows me well. I'm a fiddler, can't resist the urge to just add one more thing. So I didn't fiddle and it was a good thing.

ORANGE SAUCE FOR CHICKEN

1 cup water
1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed if possible
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup lemon juice
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 to 3 Tbs. chopped green onion
1 Tbs. grated orange zest
½ to 1 tsp. grated ginger
½ to 1 tsp. pressed or grated garlic
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes or a healthy pinch of cayenne pepper--be careful. I put too much in my last batch!

2 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. water

Mix everything but cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water together and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch and water together and stir into orange mixture. Boil one minute, stirring constantly. Serve over chicken fingers and rice or noodles.

THE MEATBALL THAT FELL OFF THE TABLE

2009-01-21T12:25:00.008-07:00

The Meatball that Fell off the Table. This is where I got this meatball recipe.

This is the way I served them, with Barbecue sauce and egg noodles. Recipe for the barbecue sauce here.I don't cook with beef. Never. Well, now I will have to say almost never because the other day I picked up a four pound--yes four-pound--package of ground beef, put it in my cart and when I got home--I paid for it first--I said to Phil, "I don't know what possessed me to do this." He didn't know either.

So I went online and looked for recipes to use the stuff. If nothing else, I thought, I could make meatballs and take them to people who were sick. (I actually did this last night along with a batch of homemade barbecue sauce--I could see they didn't have any dinner started so it was a good decision.) I also served it Sunday with the barbecue sauce and it was good. I haven't tried the "soup" gravy recipe yet but will as I still have three packages of frozen meatballs in the freezer

THE MEATBALL THAT FELL OFF THE TABLE

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs (I used Italian)
1 teaspoon garlic salt (I used ½ tsp. garlic powder and ½ tsp. salt)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (I left this out)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp. dried
ground black pepper to taste
2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons water, or as needed

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir until tender and lightly browned.

Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the onion, ground beef, bread crumbs, garlic salt (or garlic powder and salt), coriander, nutmeg, parsley and pepper; mix well using your hands. Shape into meatballs using your hands or an ice cream scoop. (I made tiny meatballs and liked them that size)

Place the meatballs into the skillet, and set over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until browned on the bottom. Turn, and continue cooking covered, until meatballs are browned on all sides and no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. (I cooked mine in the oven. The beef I used was so very lean I didn't even put them on a rack but would have, otherwise. I baked them at 350° for 25 minutes.)

Drain on a paper towel, and pour excess grease out of the skillet. Pour the cream of mushroom soup into the skillet, and stir in enough water so that it is still a fairly thick gravy. Return the meatballs to the skillet, and stir until coated. Serve over potatoes or egg noodles. (I had made them the day before and refrigerated them so I added them to the barbecue sauce and simmered until they were hot.)

STUFFED POTATOES

2009-01-17T23:58:00.005-07:00

These are wonderful. Also good the next day, reheated. Probably my favorite ways to serve potatoes.

6 to 8 large potatoes

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

cheddar cheese, I used about 1 1/2 cups, shredded

4 Tbs. butter

onion powder

garlic powder

salt

pepper

Milk or water to thin.

Bake potatoes, slice off top 1/8th. Scoop out potato, leaving the skin intact. You will want to leave the merest bit of potato on the skin.

Put potato pulp and all other ingredients except milk or water in a large bowl and mash. Taste and adjust seasonings. Thin with milk if needed--we don't ever have milk so I use water--stuff back into potato shells and reheat.

Delicious!

PARMESAN ROLLS

2009-01-14T23:20:00.007-07:00

These rolls are leftover from the luncheon Sarah and I hosted for the women we visit teach each month. They are sitting in the kitchen, calling my name and I am sitting at the computer with my fingers in my ears.

This is a super easy recipe and fabulous. I used my favorite pizza dough recipe but any roll recipe would work. For a totally easy way just thaw some frozen rolls, cut them in half and proceed.

Homemade roll dough or use pre-made, frozen rolls, thawed. Pinch off a piece of dough, roll it into a rectangle, roll in melted butter and dredge in Parmesan cheese* with some dried parsley mixed in. Put on a greased cookie sheet and let rise.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until a bit brown. These are fabulous, I promise. And easy. And fabulous. I said that already, didn't I?

*Just use the Kraft "dry" kind of Parmesan cheese. BUT, once it is open it has to be stored in the fridge. I found out the hard way that this kind of cheese will mold. I had to throw a "almost full" canister away.

These rolls are served at a local restaurant, Magleby's and it's sister restaurant, Magleby's Fresh.

PIZZA PENNE PASTA--Cindy Crookston

2009-01-10T11:04:00.003-07:00

This is one of my favorite dishes. It's a tiny bit spicy and full of flavor.

½ lb sausage
1 pkg. pepperoni (to taste)--I like a lot
1 can black olives
½ to 1 chopped onion
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 can mushrooms, drained well
2-3 cups spaghetti sauce
8 oz. Penne pasta
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook pasta. Brown sausage. Mix pasta and sausage with everything EXCEPT cheese. Pour into a 13x9 dish. Add shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese on top is melted and just a tiny bit brown and everything is bubbling hot. If cheese is browning before the casserole is really hot cover it loosely with foil.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

2008-12-04T20:29:00.010-07:00

This is a wonderful fudge. If you like peanut butter this is for you. I don't even like peanut butter and I love it.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk*

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add milk and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil two minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well with a portable mixer or stir like crazy with a spoon. Pour over powdered sugar--I sift mine first--and mix with a mixer, again, or stir like crazy with a spoon, until all sugar is incorporated. Pour into an 8 inch square pan. Chill, cut and serve.

*We don't keep milk in the house so I put about 2/3 of a half-cup measure full of canned milk and fill the rest of the cup with water--it works fine.

PS It's best eaten warm, right out of the bowl. Don't tell anyone. Only the one who makes the fudge should have that information.

PPS I have made batches and batches of this. Everyone who tries it loves it. This takes less than fifteen minutes to make.

NAKED LASAGNA WITH SPINACH

2008-11-11T21:36:00.005-07:00

This is a nice little recipe. A tasty dinner when you forgot to plan ahead.

Naked lasagna before baking.

Naked lasagna after baking.

Yield: 4 very generous Servings or six to eight normal ones. Especially if you have side dishes and a salad.

3 cups Rotini (curly) Noodles--measure before cooking
1 cup plain (not vanilla) Yogurt
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, divided
10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed*
1/2 cup minced onions--one medium onion, a medium onion makes a heaping one half cup, which is fine.
1½-cup shredded cheddar cheese—divided
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Squeeze about half of water out of the spinach. Set aside. Cook noodles until tender, drain. Combine yogurt, cottage cheese, 1 cup cheese, spinach, onions and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in noodles. Pour into an 8 or 9 inch baking dish. Cover and bake 25-35 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until cheese is melted and browned a bit.

*If I plan ahead I thaw my spinach, right in the box, in the fridge for a day. If not, I dump it in a pan of boiling water, remove the pan from the heat and let sit a few minutes, breaking the spinach apart with a knife or a fork.

DILLY BEANS

2008-10-16T20:23:00.002-06:00

Pack raw beans into clean sterilized quart jars. Add one clove of garlic and a whole head of dill and some of the stem--or simmer chopped dill in brine for 20 minutes, strain. Add brine to 1/4th inch of top, clean rim of jar with damp paper towel. Put on lid that has been simmering in water for five or more minutes, add ring. Put in steam canner--or hot water bath. As soon as steam reaches six inches from the two holes in the side of the lid--or water in canner returns to a boil--start timing and remove after 12-18 minutes. 12 for smaller beans, 18 for large ones.

Note: I put jars upside down as soon as they come out of the canner and leave until they are cool. It's a neurotic thing to do but I do it anyway because I'm always afraid the seal will not actually seal.

Brine:

3 quarts apple cider vinegar

3 quarts water

1/2 pickling salt

KALE AND BEAN SOUP-- THE MOST PRACTICAL AND MOST USED RECIPE IN THE WHOLE COOKBOOK

2008-08-31T21:56:00.006-06:00

This is a simple and yet delicious soup. It can be on the table in less than half an hour. We love it. See here.
KALE AND BEAN SOUP--adapted from the Internet

8 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced. I used the bottled kind because I was lazy.
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups chopped raw kale. I will grow kale every year from now on just for this soup recipe.
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth--I used the paste, concentrated broth, plus water. Pictures below.
2 (15 ounce) cans beans, such as cannellini , navy, pinto, un-drained. I have used white beans but my favorite are pinto*
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1-2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning. I used maybe 1 tsp. plus a bit. You can always add more but can't take out.
Salt and pepper to taste. I've never had to add salt but use quite a bit of pepper.
1 cup chopped parsley. I don't have any parsley in the garden, I've used basil but the last two times I've skipped this step as I was freezing the bulk of the soup.

In a large pot steam garlic and onion in a bit of water until soft. Add kale, broth, beans, tomato, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Mine was too hot to eat so I added an ice cube. Phil toughed it out without one.I have used this vegetarian broth paste a lot and like it.This one is from Costco. I've used it a lot, too.

*As the kale continued to grow and I made more and more soup I started using dried pinto beans. I would make a huge stock pot full of soup and freeze it. We will use it all up before the kale is growing again and we will be sad. We may have to buy kale from the grocery store to make this delicious "peasant" soup. Those peasants know how to eat.

MUSHROOM-ASPARAGUS LASAGNA

2008-04-25T22:55:00.007-06:00

This is wonderful! The first time I made this Phil ate 5 pieces. Five pieces! Can you imagine? He said his stomach hurt. I don't doubt it. He said it was worth it though. I ate one and a half because it was so doggone good. Mmm.

The original recipe had about a million steps and a lot of butter and even a fair amount of olive oil. I decided it didn't need all that fat and I also decided all those steps made me nauseous so I changed it. I honestly can't tell the difference and it's way easier. (You're welcome.)

You only make three layers of noodles but because you only boil the noodles for 4 minutes the noodles haven't expanded like a normal lasagna noodle you will need to cut pieces of another noodle and piece it on the end of each row. Does that make sense? You will actually have some noodle left over.

I put the asparagus and mushrooms on separate layers this time but would make them as the recipe says from now on. So much less complicated.

Add the mozzarella cheese to each layer.

I used waaaay too many mushrooms--I just kept slicing--so added an extra layer on the top. Like I said, I won't do that again, I will just mix the mushrooms and asparagus together for each layer. This is the third time I've made this recipe and the first time I've done it this way. Never again.

This is the final layer. Push it down before adding the sauce and cheese.
I added Parmesan and a fair amount of mozzarella and then uncovered it the last 15 minutes so it browned nicely. MUSHROOM-ASPARAGUS LASAGNA--Lynne Snyder

11 lasagna noodles
1 1/2 to 2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound mushrooms, sliced or chopped
2 cans (14 ounces) veggie or chicken broth--I used water and some of that concentrated soup base that has to be kept in the fridge.
Enough milk, soy milk or cream added to broth to equal 4 cups--I used one can of condensed milk
½ cup flour
¾ cup shredded Parmesan, divided (I used dry)
1 tsp lemon pepper
2-4 cups mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 13x9 inch pan.. Cook noodles ONLY 4 minutes. Boil asparagus 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how large it is, or until crisp-tender; drain.

Bring three cups of broth/milk mixture to a boil. Mix remaining broth with ½ cup flour, add to boiling broth mixture, return to boiling, stirring constantly, until thick. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and lemon pepper.

Spread about 3/4 cup of the white sauce in baking dish. Top with 3 noodles (adding a cut noodle to the ends to fill the pan), 1 cup of white sauce, half mushrooms, half asparagus and 1 cup or a little more--maybe another half cup--mozzarella cheese, top with three noodles and cut pieces, 1 cup sauce, remaining mushrooms and asparagus and 1 cup (or more) mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining 3 noodles and cut pieces. Push everything down well. Add remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and extra mozzarella cheese--I added a cup more--, if using.

Bake covered for 45 minutes and then uncovered for about another 15 minutes until it is hot and bubbly in the middle. If the sauce and noodles are hot then the baking time will be a bit less.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, it is our favorite spring dish.

VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE

2008-04-19T21:22:00.003-06:00

This is a dry vegan cheese sauce mix that I found on Veggies Unite. It is not really called Veggies Unite but that is how I have it bookmarked--actually I think that's what it used to be called. It's really VegWeb.com.

Dragonfly's Bulk, Dry Uncheese Mix

3 cups raw, organic cashew pieces

2 cups either Red Star or Vegetarian Support, nutritional yeast

3 Tbsp seasoning salt

3 Tbsp garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)

3 Tbsp of onion powder (NOT onion salt)

8 Tbsp of arrowroot powder. Can use cornstarch, but it is not stringy like arrowroot.

Directions:

Using a VERY dry blender, blend the nuts till they are very fine. (I tried using the blender but switched to the food processor.) Then, blend in batches of about 1 cup and then mix in a dry container.You can keep this tightly covered in the frig for about 6 weeks.

To make up, add one heaping 1/2 cup of mix to 1 cup of water and stir over heat till thickened. Use less water and add salsa for queso dip. Pour over hot veggies and/or pasta. Spread on vegan bread and toast for grilled uncheeses...or look up my enchilada recipe and use it that way. Serves: many! Preparation time: 15 minutes

This is what I made with the dry cheese mix.

3/4 pound of curly noodles

chopped broccoli

Boil pasta according to package directions and add broccoli during the last 2-4 minutes. Drain, and pour over sauteed veggies and uncheese sauce. Directions follow:

1 cup dry cheese mix

2 cups hot pasta water

green onions

yellow bell pepper

chopped mushrooms

fresh spinach

Saute green onions, bell pepper and mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil. Add cheese mix and water. Stir well, Add spinach, pour hot noodles and broccoli over and mix well.

Any veggies could be used, I think. This was good. There are a lot of suggestions of how to use this sauce mix on the web site.

SWEDISH PANCAKES

2008-04-08T14:57:00.017-06:00

This morning we got a late start and didn't even eat breakfast until noon. Everyone voted for Swedish pancakes.

Aunt Dorothy taught me how to make these, thick with powdered sugar and a healthy squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Sometimes we used homemade raspberry freezer jam in stead of the sugar and juice. Either way they are delicious.

When the kids were all home this was a Saturday morning breakfast, when I had plenty of time to fuss. I would make three recipes before everyone had enough.

This morning it took two recipes to satisfy four of us.

A chorus of "Oinks" were heard around the table.

Here is the naked pancake. Notice that it is not round. I am keeping it real for you, no food stylist fussing here.

Add a good bit of powdered sugar.

And some lemon or lime juice. We were out of lemons but had plenty of limes. Roll the pancake up and eat. Yum.

Nurse Giggleswich isn't as insanely in love with lemon or lime as the rest of us so I made a cream cheese filling and sliced strawberries for her.

We all liked it too. But as for me and my taste buds it's powdered sugar and lime juice, all the way.

Recipe for both the pancakes and cream cheese filling below.

Swedish pancakes--Aunt Dorothy Watson

2 cups milk--we don't drink milk, I usually use powdered soy milk, reconstituted but today, since I had cream, I used 1/2 cup cream and 1 1/2 cups water. Don't tell. No one knows-except my arteries.
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 healthy pinch salt
2 tablespoons melted butter--if your butter is soft and you have a super good blender you won't need to melt the butter.

Filling

Powdered sugar

lemon or lime juice

raspberry freezer jam

cream cheese filling--recipe following-and fresh sliced fruit

Pour all the pancake ingredients in the blender bowl and blend until completely mixed. If not melting the butter make sure it is mixed really well.

Spray a hot griddle with vegetable spray, pour a thin layer of batter on the hot griddle. Cook pancake until it is golden brown. Flip pancake and cook other side. Put on oven proof container in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. Repeat until all the batter is used and then after you have eaten two pancakes you will realize one recipe isn't enough so you get up and do it all again. I didn't have to spray the griddle again but sometimes I do. I guess it depends on how well seasoned it is.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix really well with an electric mixer. Serve in Swedish Pancakes with fresh, sliced fruit. I noticed this was not sweet enough for Lord Bumhampton and he added powdered sugar. I added some fresh lime juice to mine and it was fabulous.

GENERAL TAO'S TOFU

2008-04-03T09:43:00.002-06:00

I got this recipe from vegweb.com, recipe and pictures are here. It's the highest rated recipe on the site. I doubled the sauce because I was afraid there wouldn't be enough, I was also adding a red pepper and putting the broccoli in with the tofu--sauce is doubled here on this recipe--and added some red bell pepper. I wish I had added some asparagus as I have three pounds in the fridge. I forgot to make rice and since we were hungry and brown rice takes 50 minutes we just ate it with a slice of whole wheat bread.

GENERAL TAO'S TOFU

1 box of firm tofu

egg substitute for 1 egg--I forgot to use this and it turned out fine

3/4 cup cornstarch

vegetable oil for frying

3 chopped green onions

1/2 to 1 red bell pepper, sliced

other veggies, maybe asparagus

2 Tbs minced ginger

2 Tbs minced garlic

1 1/3 cup vegetable stock

¼ cup soy sauce

½ cup sugar

red pepper flakes to taste--I used 1/4 tsp. but it could have used a bit more, I think

2 Tbs sherry (optional)--I didn't use this

2 Tbs white vinegar--I used cider vinegar

steamed broccoli--I used the flourettes and peeled and diced the stems and used them too.

Drain, dry and cut tofu into 1/2 by 1 inch chunks. I had frozen tofu in the freezer from FOREVER AGO. It gives it a firmer texture, more chicken-like consistency. Mix the egg replacer as specified on the box and add an additional 3 tablespoons water--I forgot to do this Dip tofu in egg replacer/water mixture, coat completely. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu and coat completely. Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up at bottom of the bowl.

Heat oil in pan and fry tofu pieces until golden. Drain. Heat 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil--too much oil, I used about one--in pan on medium heat. Add green onions, red pepper and other veggies if using, ginger and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn garlic. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper and vinegar. Mix ¼ cup water with 2 Tbs cornstarch and pour into mixture stirring well. Add fried tofu and coat evenly Add broccoli--original recipe did not add broccoli to sauce. Serve over rice.

VEGETABLE AND RED LENTIL SOUP

2008-03-25T10:07:00.005-06:00

This is adapted from a recipe in the February, 2008 Good Housekeeping magazine, page 154

1-2 Tbs. Olive oil

4 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium or large onion, diced

Tomatoes of your choice: I used 4 large Roma's, the original recipe called for a can (14.5 oz.) of diced tomatoes

Some kind of tomato sauce--I had some V-8 so used that but next time I will add a can (8 oz.) or even two, of tomato sauce--the original recipe didn't use this but I thought it needed it for a good flavor

Cabbage, optional. I had some so I chopped about a cup and a half and added it.

*Veggie broth, your choice: I used a powdered veggie broth but the original recipe called for a can (14-14.5 oz.) of veggie broth. I used about a Tbs., maybe more of the powdered broth powder--of course I added water

1 tsp. cumin

1 cup dried red lentils

1 bag (5 oz.) fresh spinach

salt to taste

pepper to taste, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.

Water as needed--I added quite a bit, at least 5 cups, maybe more

Saute the onions and carrots in the olive oil for 4-6 minutes--I was talking on the phone and burned some of the onions and carrots and had to pick them out--until lightly browned--not black, like mine. Add cumin and cook one minute. Add tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, lentils, and water and simmer, covered--oops, I simmered uncovered--until lentils are tender, about 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Add spinach, remove from heat and serve.

*Bryanna Grogan, a wonderful cookbook author, has a powdered veggie broth recipe. Recipe is here. She is the most gracious and generous cookbook author I know. I have several of her cookbooks and love them.

Here is another site where she posts recipes, answers questions and gives help so freely. I used to post on that site all the time with questions or to share recipes. I guess I should start again. I posted as Natashia--of Boris and Natashia fame.

CHOCOLATE CHIP--TOFFEE BITS--OATMEAL COOKIES—Paula, Joe Allman’s (my old watercolor teacher) Aunt

2008-03-22T09:50:00.011-06:00

This cookie is fabulous. I promise. My watercolor teacher, Joe Allman's aunt made it up. I once took some to a fabulously talented older man--our neighborhood/ward is ripe with fabulously talented people--no where else on earth like it--anyway, he said, "You know Lynne, since I've become a widow, I've had a lot of cookies brought to me but I can honestly say these are the best." Of course, I think he was hoping for more cookies and he will get some this weekend.

REGULAR------------------DOUBLED

1 cup butter—--------------2 cups (1 pound)
1 cup sugar—---------------2 cups
1 cup brown sugar—-------2 cups
2 eggs—---------------------4 eggs
½ tsp. Rum extract--------1 tsp.

Mix well, add:

2 cups flour—---------------4 cups
1 tsp. soda—-----------------2 tsp
½ tsp. baking powder ----1 tsp
½ tsp. salt—-----------------1 tsp.
2¼ cups oatmeal—---------4½ c.

Mix well, add:
½ pkg. (12 oz.) chocolate chips—---- 1 pkg.
½ pkg. (10 oz.) Skor toffee chips—---1 pkg.

Bake 350° for 14 minutes.

Note: I use the regular, long cooking oats. When I was at Soap Queen's house the other day we couldn't find her oats so we used a mix of about five different kinds of oats plus some flax seeds and the cookies were just as fabulous. We live in at high altitude so I don't know how that will effect your baking time.

Note II: When Joe told us he was going to move to Cashe Valley and could no longer be our watercolor teacher I cried. I was the only one in our class who did so and I was embarrassed. I thought if I stayed with him another two years I could be good enough to sell. I have hardly painted since he left. I guess I blog instead. I want to get back to it and maybe--if my life ever calms down enough so that I'm not on a high run--I will.

Try these cookies. You won't be sorry.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN--OR SWEET AND SOUR NOT-CHICKEN

2008-03-13T22:05:00.005-06:00

My comments in blue.

This recipe is from Julie Pinkham who I do not know. She is a friend of Liza Peterson who is the wife of Cameron who is my nephew, son of my sister, Julie. Got that? Lisa just had a beautiful baby girl. They live in Hawaii and did not freeze all winter, like I did. I love them anyway.

I made this tonight but didn't do the chicken option. I am trying to eat more meatless meals. I boiled the carrots for about one minute. I added an onion and sauteed the onion and green pepper for a couple of minutes--which may actually have been too long. I wanted them really crunchy. I added a can of mushrooms and would have added lots of celery if I had any. I think celery really adds to Chinese stir fry. I also would have added water chestnuts if I could have found them. I KNOW there are four cans in this house somewhere because I just bought them a month ago when they were on sale! ~sigh~ I added some sliced zucchini but only did that because I didn't have celery.

1 lb. Chicken – cut into bite size pieces
½ tsp. coarsely chopped or ground Ginger
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Onion powder or salt
½ tsp. Garlic powder or salt
1 Egg
¼ cup Flour
3 Tbs. Butter/margarine I used a bit of olive oil to saute the veggies
1 can Pineapple chunks
½ cup Brown sugar
¼ cup vinegar (preferably apple cider)
1 Tbs. Soy sauce
2 Tbs. Cornstarch
1 Green pepper - chopped
6 med. Carrots - chopped

Mix together ginger, salt, onion and garlic powders, and flour. In a separate bowl whisk the egg. Coat chicken pieces with egg and then flour mixture. Melt butter over med-high heat, add chicken to brown.* I didn't use chicken at all and actually it was good without. Not AS good, probably but good enough and we are trying to eat less animal products.

Boil vegetables until tender crisp (this doesn’t take as long as you think--see my option, above) – keep them warm until added. When chicken is browned add can of pineapple (with juice) to meat--I used a 20 0z. can of pineapple tidbits. Add vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Heat thoroughly. Take a couple of Tbs. of juice out to mix with cornstarch I held some of the juice out to mix with the cornstarch before hand – whisk with fork until a smooth paste. Add back to meat and let juices thicken. Add veggies right before serving. Serve over rice or noodles.

*When I'm in a time crunch, or really just being lazy, I forgo the egg and flour and just dump the chicken into the pan and sprinkle with the ginger, onion, and garlic powders. It's not as good, but it still works. And if you want the traditional Chinese Restaurant version, you can add a little red food coloring to the sauce.

CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLED CUPCAKES

2008-03-06T21:30:00.002-07:00

pkg. devil's food cake mix without pudding--I'm not sure why the "no pudding" is important and I'm not sure it is.
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 (6 oz) pkg. semisweet chocolate morsels (optional--I don't usually use these, the cream filling is spectacular enough).

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin pans, filling 2/3 full. Combine cream cheese and sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating well; stir in chocolate morsels (if using). Spoon cream cheese mixture into center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks. Frost as desired. Makes 22-24 cupcakes.

STRAWBERRY TRIFLE

2008-03-05T21:43:00.006-07:00

This is the size bowl for this recipe--a regular trifle bowl but I made a huge one because I was taking it to the luncheon after Curly Sue's baptism. I posted step by step photos on my regular blog.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE TRIFLE--Tamalin Christen

yellow or white cake, baked according to directions--you will have leftover cake
2 quarts fresh strawberries, thickly sliced
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup heavy cream

Cut cake into 2 inch cubes (I cut mine in about one inch cubes). Wash and slice strawberries.
In a bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.

In another bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, until it becomes like a frosting.

In a trifle bowl, layer cake cubes, strawberries, and frosting mixture. Continue layering, ending with frosting mixture. Cover and chill well before serving. Garnish with whole strawberries and mint leaves.

Tamalin says this is a fine thing to eat for breakfast the following day.

Here is the one I took to the luncheon. It weighed 20 pounds and was delicious.

BROCCOLI SALAD

2008-02-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

Everyone and their dog has a recipe for broccoli salad and this one is probably like most of them but I ate it at my son and his wonderful wife's house on Saturday for the luncheon after Butterfly's baptism, and it was especially tasty so here it is:

BROCCOLI SALAD--Michelle Snyder

Broccoli florettes, cut into bite size
Bacon pieces--I think using the pre-cooked bacon would be a great idea
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions

Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

TACOS

2008-01-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today we are fasting--we have so many people in our ward who are sick, we fast every Sunday. So, I got dinner ready before church so when we get home, dinner is only a few minutes away. I had a couple of "chubs"--is that what they are called?--each chub is one pound--of ground turkey and did an internet search for a good taco recipe. I found this. It's delicious. Phil thought it was too soupy and it was but that didn't stop me from dripping taco juice all over my fingers. I didn't simmer it long enough, if I had maybe it wouldn't have been thicker.

Taco Meat

2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Chilli powder
1 tsp. chili flakes (optional, I added this)
2 tablespoons Paprika
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Garlic powder or 2 cloves
1/2 diced Bell pepper
1/2 diced medium Onion
12 corn tortillas (I used flour--those raw ones from Costco, fried in a bit of oil...mmm)

In 2 quart sauce pan add ground beef, salt, chili powder, garlic, cumin, paprika, and enough water to cover meat.

Bring to a boil. Simmer over medium low heat about an hour--I only simmered for 20 minutes as I waited too long to get started. Then add 1/2 medium chopped onion--I used a whole onion--1/2 medium chopped bell pepper. Continue cooking 20 or 30 more minutes--again, because I was short of time I simmered it only 20 minutes.

Soft beef Tacos: Heat oil in skillet. Cook corn tortillas, one at a time, in hot oil until soft, about 10 to 15 seconds; drain. I used flour tortillas. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of the beef taco meat in center of each tortilla.Fold tortilla over meat; or roll up like an enchilada.

I added tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, ranch dressing and Red Hot red pepper sauce.

PEANUT-CHICKEN BOWL

2008-01-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from the August 2006 Better Homes and Garden's magazine. It was a $200 contest winner in the Noodle Bowls category.

I made this w/out meat as we are trying to eat more meatless meals and it was still pretty good, good enough to fix again. I also sauteed some celery and red bell peppers (recipe said to boil peppers) and added them when everything was finished.

2 (3 oz.) pkgs. Oriental-flavored ramen noodles
3 cups cut up vegetables such as broccoli florets, red sweet pepper strips (saute those, don't boil them), halved pea pods (saute with red peppers) and thinly sliced carrots
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 pkt. of the Oriental Seasonings found in soup package (save other two for other uses)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (as much as we like this ingredient I knew this much would make the dish hot so I used 1/4 tsp. and it was perfect for us. If you like things hot use more but then again I wasn't using the chicken so maybe the 1/2 tsp. would have been perfect w/the chicken)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 (8 oz.) can bamboo shoots, drained
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup sliced green onions

Boil noodles, broken up, in water along with cut up veggies. Boil three minutes, drain.

Sauce: Stir together: water, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, crushed red pepper and the one seasoning packet. Whisk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Add chicken, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots to sauce, heat through. Add to noodle mixture, adding sauteed veggies if you used that option. Toss, top with peanuts and gr e en onions.

WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN

2008-01-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

8 cups popped popcorn--I think you could use 16 cups. It wouldn't be so coated but would still be good.
1 1/3 cups white chocolate disks or white chocolate chips, melted
small amount of semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Pour melted white chocolate over popped corn, stir to coat. Let cool and then drizzle dark chocolate over the top.

Only make one batch because you will want to eat it all.

This would be nice holiday treat to give to neighbors.

EASIEST WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD—Dorothy Nebeker

2008-01-01T14:24:00.002-07:00

This is our favorite homemade bread. I haven't bought bread for over six months after Dorothy shared this recipe with me. I also grind wheat to make this bread. I grind enough for two batches and freeze the flour for the second batch.

Makes 4 (8x4) inch loaves--recipe for two size loaves following directions for this one.

"This recipe came from an Education Week class taught by Leslie Probert. After we tried it we never wanted to use another!" said Dorothy. In fact this bread is so easy that even her husband makes it. Now there's a thought.

6 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup flax seed flour (this is my addition, if you aren't using flax seed flour use 7 cups ww flour. I grind the flax in a coffee grinder so it's fresh)
2/3 cups gluten flour*
1/4 cup lecithin (this is my addition and so you don't really need it)
2½ Tbs. instant yeast
5 cups steaming hot tap water (120-130°--I don't usually use this hot of water unless my flour is right out of the freezer)
2 Tbs. salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey or 1 cup sugar
2½ Tbs. bottled lemon juice**
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix first five ingredients in mixer with a dough hook. Add water all at once and mix for one minute. Cover and let rest of 10 minutes. Add salt, oil, honey or sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. Beat for about 10 minutes . (This makes a very soft dough.)

Preheat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide and shape into loaves. Place in oiled bread pans. (I spray a plastic bread board with "Pam" and also my bread pans with it. I make sure the edges of the bread pans are sprayed well so the baked bread doesn't stick to the edges in case it raises over the edge a bit.) Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes--or longer--or until dough reaches top of pans. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven t o 350° and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks. I put a piece of foil over the top of the loaves until the oven reaches 350° and then remove it. It's not really necessary but the tops are sometimes too dark, I think so I cover them while the oven preheats.

*gluten, a natural protein derived from whet, provides elasticity and strength, added texture, helps retain moisture, prevents crumbling and extends the shelf life of bread. If you do not want to store gluten flour, you may substitute whole wheat flour in its place.

**Lemon juice in this recipe acts as a dough enhancer which gives bread a fine, light texture.

TWO LOAF OPTION

3½ cups whole-wheat flour OR 3 cups whole-wheat flour plus ½ cup freshly ground flax seed flour (I use an electric coffee grinder)
1/3 cup gluten flour
1¼ Tbs. instant yeast
2½ cups steaming hot tap water (120-130° F.)
2 Tbs. lecithin (optional)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey or ½ cup sugar
1¼ Tbs. bottled lemon juice
1 Tbs. salt
2½ cups whole wheat flour

Follow direction above only use two loaf pans.

MUDDY BUDDIES--right off the CHEX cereal box

2007-12-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

9 cups Chex cereal(I prefer the corn or rice or a combination of the two but think the wheat would be a better nutritional choice--as if that is going to make this recipe nutritious.)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Heat chocolate chips and peanut butter over very low heat, stirring. The box says to use a microwave for 1 minute on high, stir, microwave 30 seconds longer but we don't use a microwave so I don't know if this is accurate or not. Stir in vanilla.

Pour mixture over the cereal, stirring to coat. Sift powdered sugar over the top and mix well. OR put cereal into a 2-gallon resealable food-storage bag, sift powdered sugar over the top, close bag and shake to mix. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

RUSSIAN TEACAKES

2007-12-17T20:50:00.003-07:00

Roll the dough into small balls.

Bake them.Dust them with powdered sugar.Do it again.Store them in tins.

Russian Teacakes are also called Crescents (shaped like a new moon), Mexican Wedding Cookies, Snowballs, and, the very creative name (which Gilmore Girl and I prefer), Little White Cookies.

1 cup butter (to make these vegan use 2/3 cup oil)

½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

1½ cups flour

1 tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
¾ to 1 cups finely chopped almonds--you can use walnuts but once you taste them with almonds you'll never use walnuts again

Additional powdered sugar

Mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla together well. Add dry ingredients and nuts . Shape dough into tiny balls. Chill. Place 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until brown on the bottom, about 18-24 minutes--my oven takes about 21-22 minutes. Dust cookies once with powdered sugar while warm, then again after they've cooled. Makes about 4 dozen.

Note: I make the cookies into dough balls and keep them in the cold garage until needed to bake.

Store in a Christmas tin in the garage where it is cold. Sneak into the garage and eat a cookie when "the craving" strikes. Remember to brush off the tale tale powdered sugar that drops off the cookie onto your shirt.

VARIATION OF POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING

2007-12-14T23:21:00.001-07:00

Tonight I had to take a salad to serve 12 to our Ward Christmas party. I almost always take my poppy seed salad dressing recipe but I am out of poppy seeds plus I forgot to buy mushrooms. So, here is how it went. (A Russian Princess asked for the recipe so it must have been okay. See today's post at Lynne's Somewhat Invented Life.)

half a box of that lovely spring mix lettuce, from Costco
2 heads of romaine lettuce from Costco, chopped

1 cup salad oil
1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar--regular AC vinegar is fine
1/2 cup sugar--I added maybe another tablespoon after tasting
1 tsp. salt--I added maybe another eighth teaspoon after tasting
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 large red onion, chopped in small pieces
3 handfuls dried tomatoes
About a pound of sliced mushrooms

Mix lettuces together, rinse in cold water and spin dry. (Not you, the lettuce.)

Mix oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard well. Put the tomatoes in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak until pliable. I only soaked them for 30 seconds to a minute because they are super thin. Drain the tomatoes well. Add the tomatoes, onions and mushrooms to the salad dressing and let sit for about a half hour. Pour over lettuce, toss well, serve.

CHEAPER FUDGE

2007-12-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

I was making fudge today--5 batches for my kids goodie tins and my Aunt Dorothy. She's 96 and so help me, she could eat fudge, caramels and pork fat every day and her arteries will remain clean and clear. Since I didn't have any marshmallow cream I decided to experiment with my favorite fudge recipe. Turned out pretty good. Here it is.

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2/3 up canned milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
20 regular sized marshmallows

Melt all together, slicing the marshmallows in half as they get warm. Stir constantly with a flat wooden spoonish thing. I guess it's a wooden spatula. Cook over medium heat (it's hard for me to do that, my only two stove temperatures being "high" and "off" but I forced myself). As soon as it boils set the time for 3 1/2 minutes. Stir constantly. When the timer rings remove from the heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*

Stir until chocolate is melted and pour into an 8 or 9 inch square pan that has been coated with butter or butter flavored vegetable spray. Let cool. Cut into squares and put into decorative tins and give to your kids who will think you are wonderful. Or, they better, that's all I have to say.

*When making this for young children I use 2 cups milk chocolate chips and one of semi-sweet.

THE PIONEER WOMAN'S FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE

2007-12-07T22:53:00.000-07:00

Here's Pioneer Woman's Favorite Christmas Cookie. She has pictures. Her site is very fun. If you haven't been there you are in for a treat. My only caution is don't make that much white decorator icing. That will ice a truckload of cookies.

Pioneer Woman’s Favorite Christmas Cookies From Childhood and Beyond

2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
4 teaspoons milk
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla thoroughly. Add in egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add in the milk and mix.

Sift dry ingredients together, then blend into cream mixture. Divide dough in half (thirds if you double the recipe), slightly flatten between two sheets of waxed paper, then refrigerate for one hour (or freeze for 20 minutes.)

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer shapes to lightly greased cookie sheet and paint cookies with soft brushes with egg yolk glaze:

Egg Yolk Glaze
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
2 to 3 drops food coloring

Bake at 375-degrees for approximately 6 minutes. Do not allow to become brown.
Remove cookies from oven, remove cookies to wire rack to cool. Then, using a pastry bag or Ziploc, pipe with white icing to decorate.

White Decorative Icing
1 2-pound bag powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons egg white (optional)*

Mix together, ensuring the icing is much thicker than Pioneer Woman’s icing was that day. Icing should be thick and somewhat retain its shape.

Enjoy!

SALTINE TOFFEE

2007-12-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

Someone brought this to our Christmas Enrichment and people couldn't keep their hands off it. It's very good and very easy. I haven't tracked down who brought it was so I got the recipe off "All Recipes" They show a picture made with white chocolate. The person who brought these to Enrichment used regular chocolate chips--or maybe they were the milk chocolate ones--but then drizzled white chocolate over the top. It was very pretty.

1 (10 ounce) package saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup slivered almonds or chopped nuts of choice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet. Line baking sheet with saltine crackers, edges touching.

Combine butter and brown sugar and cook until mixture reaches 235 degrees F (112 degrees C) or a small amount of mixture dropped into cold water forms a small ball that flattens when placed on a flat surface. Pour mixture over crackers and spread evenly.

Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot toffee. When chips turn glossy, spread evenly with spatula. Sprinkle with almonds. Freeze 20 minutes before serving.

BEST TOFFEE BARS--Susan Preator--a friend of Lynne's

2007-12-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Susan brought these to our Enrichment. Another woman held on to Susan's glass footed cake plate because she wanted that recipe and wasn't taking the chance that whomever owned it would claim it without the first woman knowing. It was pretty funny, Susan may have thought her cake plate had walked off but then, all was well, and she was flattered.

Cream together in a bowl:
1 cup butter (soften but don’t melt)
1 cup brown sugar
Add:
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir together until “fluffy”

Add:
2 cups flour
¼ tsp. salt
Mix well

Spray 9x13 cake pan. Spread dough on bottom, lightly with fingers, to within ½ to 1 inch of edge of pan.

Bake at 350º for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly brown and soft (don’t over bake)
Remove from oven and cover top with milk chocolate chips (doesn’t take quite all of one 12 oz. bag)

Let melt for a few minutes then spread with a knife over all the top. While still melted, sprinkle top with chopped pecans. Let cool. Enjoy.

POPCORN WITH BROWNED BUTTER

2007-12-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

We don't use a microwave so all our popcorn is made in an air popper.

Put a pan on the stove and turn it on high. When it is hot add two tablespoons of butter, cut in half. Make sure the fan is on in case the pan is too hot, which happens to me a LOT.* In that case you can quickly put the pan right under fan and hope it pulls the smoke quickly enough to keep your husband from yelling, "What are you burning?"

Swish the butter around until it is golden brown. Pour it over the popcorn, using a rubber spatula. Using a rubber spatula is one of those happy accidents. It will drip off the sides or the end in a dainty stream and you will be able to coat more individual pieces of popcorn than you could by pouring the butter from the pan. Add one more tablespoon if you like it extra buttery. Season with salt or a nutritional yeast mixture,** which I love and one of my cats love*** and my husband and daughter hate.

There is nothing better than hot popcorn with browned butter unless you have some crisp green apples to go with it. Green, as in not ripe, not green as in ripe Granny Smith's but in a pinch a crisp Granny Smith's will do.

Enjoy! The best popcorn you will ever taste.

*My stove--any stove I ever use has two temperatures. High and Off. You want to heat things, right? So, turn the stove to high and stir like crazy. Then turn it off and you're done. Why can't the rest of my family see how simple that is?

**Put 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and 1/2 tsp. salt (more if you're a salt addict) in a clean coffee grinder. (We have a coffee grinder but it has never ground coffee--we don't drink coffee but we grind things like flax seeds for our homemade bread.) Grind the nutritional yeast until it is a powder. Take the lid off. Cough. It will make you cough every time. Store in a tiny glass jar and sprinkle over hot buttered popcorn.

***Pika--our white Persian--used to beg for my popcorn. She didn't beg for anyone else's so I figured it had to be the nutritional yeast. In the morning when I give the cats fresh food she waits patiently until I sprinkle nutritional yeast on top and then she very daintily eats. I don't use the nutritional yeast with salt added. Just plain nutritional yeast. I buy mine at the health food store in the bulk room.

FUNERAL POTATOES

2007-12-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

Here in Utah, after LDS funerals a luncheon is given to family and extended family members. This potato dish is always present, usually with salty ham and salads--many of them Jell-O with whipped cream or cream cheese, followed by every kind of cake you can imagine. It's almost like we were campaigning for more funerals.

There are lots of versions of this. Some have potatoes that have been diced. Some have frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. Some have a bit of green pepper, some don't have cornflakes but have cheese on top. All are delicious but very, very bad for you. Be wary.

6 to 8 large potatoes parboiled and grated or ½ of a bag of frozen southwest hash brown potatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1-2 cups Sour cream
1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 ½ cups corn flakes
2 Tbs. melted butter

Mix potatoes with remaining ingredients except corn flakes and butter.Put into 9x13 pan. Top with cornflakes and butter mixed. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

CHICKEN WITH DUCK SAUCE—Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T17:37:00.001-07:00

Duck Sauce is a Chinese sauce recipe--no ducks. This is one of my favorite dishes and my darling oldest boy--Kraut's--favorite too.

1 pint (2 cups) apricot jam
½ (24 oz bottle) bottle ketchup (about 1 ¼ cups)*
1 pkg. Lipton (dry) onion soup
2 Tbs. brown sugar*
1 Tbs. flour

Mix all ingredients together and pour over about 12—14 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Place into greased 9x13 pan, cover loosely with foil and bake in a 350° degree oven for 1½ to 2 hours or in a 400° oven for less time.

Serve with noodles. Eat lots of salad with this so you won’t get chicken overload and die right on the spot. Hot sourdough bread is nice too.

*Original recipe called for a bottle of Russian or Catalina dressing and if I have some on hand I use that instead of the ketchup and brown sugar. There is a recipe for Catalina dressing on this site.

CARAMEL FONDUE--Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup light corn syrup

Heat until almost boiling. Serve hot with bananas and apples. Bananas are best and I don't even like bananas--usually.

MOUNDS BITS (ALMOND JOY) CANDY BARS

2007-12-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a homemade recipe for the yummy coconut candy bar. This sounds complicated but it's not. You can use milk chocolate for the semi-sweet.

2 C. granulated sugar
1 C. light corn syrup
1/2 C. water
½ teaspoon almond extract
1½ pkgs. (14 oz. per package) flaked coconut
2 T. flour
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips (it may take more chips than this--or you could use dipping chocolate)
almonds, toasted (optional)

In a large heavy pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water and bring to a boil. Cook two degrees less then softball stage . Remove from the heat and cool until syrup is just warm* (you will be molding these with your hands so it can be warm only, not hot).

Stir in the almond extract, flour and coconut (in that order). Mold by teaspoonfuls into flat-ish balls, not too big. (They are rich; you don't want very big candies.)

Place on a cookie sheet sprayed heavily with Pam. Place a whole almond on top of each if desired. Allow to set at room temperature several hours or overnight. (If they are too sticky to work with, with let them sit a day or two more until they dry out enough to handle)

Melt chocolate chips or dipping chocolate in microwave for three to four minutes on half power, stir after every minute. Coat candies with melted chocolate—this is messy, I tried dipping them and lost them in the chocolate. I finally just held each one and coated it with chocolate with a spoon.

*If you cannot make the rest of this recipe right now and your syrup gets cold simply put the pan back on the heat, low temperature, and warm, stirring now and then until it is at a workable temperature. I have even made the syrup two days early and then finished the recipe later.

YOSHIDA CHICKEN--Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't made this is ages! Guess I'll have to buy some Yoshida Sauce.

Bake chicken in Yoshida Sauce, either whole pieces or dice them.
When the chicken is done let it cool and cut into bit size pieces.
Sauté onion and a bit of garlic in oil or butter

Add crushed pineapple and Yoshida sauce to onions, thicken if necessary.

Add cream cheese.

Serve over noodles

HELLO DOLLIES or MAGIC COOKIE BARS

2007-12-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

Everyone has this recipe!

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1-1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1-1/3 cups Coconut
1 cup Chocolate chips
1 cup chopped Pecans
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs in medium bowl. Press onto bottom of greased foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan.Sprinkle with coconut, chocolate chunks and nuts. Pour condensed milk over top.Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Lift foil out when cool and cut.

MUSTARD SAUCE FOR HAM OR SANDWICHES—Hillary Snyder

2007-12-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

¾ cup mayo
¼ cup honey
2 Tbs. Prepared mustard
1 Tbs. Horseradish

Mix well with wisk.

PEANUT BUTTER FINGERS--Sharee Snyder

2007-12-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

This is a school lunch cookie recipe. Don't leave them out on the counter or you will be snitching a little piece every time you pass.

3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. apple sauce
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
3/4 tsp. soda
3/4 c. peanut butter
1 can chocolate frosting

Cream oil and sugars. Add applesauce and vanilla. Add oatmeal, flour and soda; mix well. Press into lightly greased cookie sheet. ( use your fingers--sprayed w/ “Pam”)

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, just until lightly brown. Take out of oven and drop pan on cupboard (this settles the cookies) but DON'T TURN PAN OVER AND DUMP THE COOKIES OUT!

Spread top with 3/4 c. peanut butter and cool (about
1 hour). Spread with chocolate frosting.

LEMON SORBET--Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

This has a tangy taste and is very refreshing, especially on a hot summer day.

4 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice or lime juice

Mix together well, pour into a freezer proof container and freeze. Stir several times during the freezing process.

VEGETABLE PIZZA APPETIZERS--Genny Ulrich--a friend of Lynne's

2007-12-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

2 cans crescent rolls
2 larget pkgs. cream cheese (or 1 cream cheese & 1 cup sour cream and eliminate mayo)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Onion
Green peppers
Celery
Olives
slicedCheddar cheese

Spread 2 cans crescent rolls on large cookie sheet or pizza pan. Bake according to directions and cool.

Mix 2 large packages of cream cheese with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (dry). Spread on cool crust. Cut up vegetables very fine and spread on top of cream cheese layer. Shred Cheddar cheese and sprinkle on top of vegetables. Cut and serve.

BLACK BEAN SOUP—Donna Jones

2007-12-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Very easy and good—I made this about 5 times last winter

1 (8 oz.) can corn, drained (or fresh or frozen corn)
3/4 cup green onions—use part of the green stem
1/2 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes, diced
2 (15-16 oz.) cans drained and rinsed black beans
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional) (I use ¾ of one)
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
salt to taste
water if needed (I use ½ to 1 cup)

Sauté onion, carrots and pepper in a little oil. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed.

STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF WITH CASHEW CREAM—Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T12:53:00.001-07:00

1 pound sliced strawberries

2 OPTIONS:

1st option
¼-1/3 cup orange juice
½ tsp. orange zest
2-3 Tb. agave syrup
pinch or 2 of cinnamon

2nd option:

4 Tbs. agave
1 ½ Tbs. balsamic

Pour all ingredients over strawberries; refrigerate for an hour or more (unless you can’t wait—like us). Top with cashew cream.

CASHEW CREAM

1 cup cashews, soaked
½ cup dates. packed, soaked
¼ cup maple syrup
2-6 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 to ¼ tsp. butter flavor
Pinch salt

Blend well, add water by tablespoons until desired consistency. Refrigerate.

“SAUTÉED” MUSHROOM AND AVOCADO SANDWICHES—Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Flax seed crackers, spread with Heavenly Dip and sliced avocado and “Sautéed” mushrooms

“Sautéed” mushrooms
1 pound sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup. nama shoyu
2-4 cloves garlic, pressed

Mix olive oil, nama shoyu and garlic with sliced mushrooms. Let them sit for thirty minutes. Place on teflex sheets with three chopsticks under each edge if it is really juicy—mine is; I don’t want juice dripping off. This makes a shallow bowl and holds in the juice.
Dehydrate about 4 hours.

LEMON GARLIC VINAIGRETTE—(Phil’s favorite) Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

This is mostly a raw recipe. I ate this on a big salad once before church and then I breathed garlic on everyone. I was so embarrassed that I hardly talked.

2/3 cup lemon juice
½ cup expeller pressed safflower oil
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. raw agave nectar
1 tsp. salt
4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
1/8 to ¼ tsp xantan gun, depending on how thick you want the dressing.

Blend all ingredients except xantan gum. If your blender isn’t powerful enough to liquefy the garlic then make sure it is pressed. Add xantan gum while processor is running.

SNYDER FAMILY HOUSE SALAD DRESSING—(Elizabeth’s favorite) Lynne Snyder

2007-12-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup safflower oil
¼ cup water
½ cup wine vinegar
½ cup apple cider vinegar--preferably raw
2 ½ tsp. garlic powder
2 ½ tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8- ¼ tsp. xantan gum

Blend all ingredients except xantan gum. While blender is running add xantan gum until it is still somewhat thin.

I keep this in a wine vinegar bottle—I punched larger holes in the plastic shaker lid.

COCONUT CREAM CAKE--Zanny McGraw--a friend of Lynne's

2007-11-30T23:38:00.000-07:00

This cake will kill you but you will die happy. I made it for a family dinner once and Bentley and then Taylor disappeared into the kitchen. I finally went in to see what they were doing as they were snickering and I could tell they were up to something. They were hovering over the cake with forks, a very guilty expression on their faces, and Cool Whip around their mouths. The cake had a very fork-abused look.

1 yellow cake mix
1 can Cream of Coconut
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 carton cool whip

Bake cake as directed. As soon as it is out of the oven poke holes in it with the end of a wooden spoon and pour a can of cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk over the top. When it is completely cool frost with cool whip. Refrigerate.

VEGAN STUFFED POTATOES--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T23:34:00.000-07:00

I love these.

Scrub and cut out any blemishes on about 8-10 large potatoes. Prick with a knife and bake in preheated 400° oven for one hour or until tender. Remove and scoop baked potato out (hold potatoes with a hot pad), leaving a bit of potato with the skin so it will hold together.

Mash the hot potato with one recipe reduced fat or regular sour cream--recipes on this site--with double the onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Add a bit of water if the potato mixture is too stiff. Taste and add seasonings or salt if needed.

Stuff potato skins, fluffing the mixture up in peaks if possible. Return potatoes to oven and bake about a half hour or so until they are hot and the peaks start to brown.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND SPINACH--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T23:27:00.000-07:00

I ate a pasta like this at a restaurant and so came home and fiddled with ingredients until I came up with something I liked. This will serve 8

Roma tomatoes, about 20 or about 4 pounds
1-2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped
1-2 onions, chopped
6-10 garlic cloves, chopped
olive oil
1-2 Tbs. dried basil--or use a whole lot of fresh
1 recipe Reduced Fat Sour Cream W/ Double Spices and Salt
22 ounces curly (or other) pasta

Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil until onions are wilted. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté ½ hour. Add basil and simmer a few minutes longer. Boil pasta until al dente, drain. Put spinach on top of tomato mixture, top with pasta and sour cream, stir.

Reduced fat sour cream w/ double spice and salt recipe
½ cup cashews
1 recipe thick water
¼ cup water
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
Put water (not thick water), lemon juice, cashews and oil in a blender and blend until the cashews are liquefied. Add thick water, spices and salt mix well.

Note: These spices and the salt are doubled! If making regular sour cream cut them in half.

Thick Water—Lynne Snyder

1 cup water
2 Tbs. Arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Bring ¾ cup water to a boil, mix ¼ cup water with arrowroot powder and stir into boiling water. Boil and stir, one half minute or until clear.

OYSTER MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS OVER ANGEL HAIR PASTA--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

One day I saw oyster mushrooms in the grocery store and so i bought them. I think the angels were hovering because I had never heard of a recipe like this so one of them must have whispered in my ear. Serves 2 hungry people or 3 polite ones.

Olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch asparagus, sliced diagonally (or use broccoli)
1 8 oz. container oyster mushrooms, sliced
1/2 can black olives, cut in
half
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Heat several Tbs. olive oil in fry pan and sauté onion. When almost done add asparagus and oyster mushrooms, sauté a few more minutes. Add chopped olives, season with garlic powder, salt & pepper and serve over hot angel hair pasta.

SPICY SPAGHETTI SAUCE--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T23:01:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth used to love the "Angry Penne"--I think it was Penne Arrabbiato--that Macaroni Grill served. I tried to clone it. I don't know how close this is but its fabulous. I serve spaghetti the first day and then use this sauce to make lasagna.

2-3 Tbs. olive oil
12 cloves minced or crushed garlic
6 to 8 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce,
2 (16 oz.) cans diced or crushed tomatoes
1 ½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp.seasoned salt
¼ to 1 tsp.dried chili flakes (optional—this makes the sauce spicy--Elizabeth says there is no use making it if you're not going to make it spicy—I use 1 tsp.)

Sauté garlic in medium hot oil until it just starts to turn a light tan. Immediately add tomato sauce, tomatoes and chili flakes. Simmer until thick as desired. Add basil, seasoned salt and oregano and simmer a few more minutes.

VEGAN CHEESE BALL--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

I had forgotten how good this was.

1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup water
1 Tbs. Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 Tbs. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Real Salt
1 tsp. prepared mustard, Dijon if possible
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 (8 oz.) container Better Than Cream Cheese
Chopped nuts (optional)

Put flour in a dry pan over medium heat; stir constantly until the flour is a bit brown. Wisk in remaining ingredients (except oil, Better Than Cream Cheese and nuts) stirring until mixture is very thick. Remove from the heat and add the olive oil; let cool until barely warm. Stir in Better Than Cream Cheese and refrigerate until very cold. Form mixture into a ball and roll it in the chopped nuts.

Note: I don’t usually form it into a ball, I just put it in a storage container and refrigerate. When I serve it we put it into individual smaller containers (like a custard cup) to eat with crackers, etc.

BRYANNA'S FRANKLY FIBEROUS CHOCOLATE CHIP BRAN MUFFINS--Bryanna Grogan on Vegsourse

2007-11-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

Bryanna has a vegetarian site on Vegsource. I have some of her cookbooks and they are really good. I made these muffins so often I doubled the batch. (The double proportions are in parenthesis.) Because I made her muffins so often I bought a huge bag--maybe 25 pounds--of bran and then after making the muffins a few more times I quit. Phil found the bag in the basement recently and said, "what shall we do with this?" I don't have a clue. I guess I'll have to make two thousand batches of this soon. If you want some bran come on over. I have plenty.

MIX TOGETHER:
1 and 1/2 c. wheat bran (3 cups)
1 and 1/2 c. water (3 cups)
Let soak 15 min.

ADD WET MIX:
1/4 c. applesauce (1/2 cup)
2 T. Lynne’s low-fat homemade margarine (1/4 cup) or oil
1 T. flax seeds ground (1/4 cup)
1/4 c. water blended with flax seed til “gloppy” (1/2 cup)

DRY MIX:
1 c. spelt flour (2 cups) Other flour would be fine.
¼ cup sugar (1/2 cup)
1 T. baking powder (2 Tbs.)
1/2 tsp. salt (1 tsp.)
1/2 T. EnerG egg replacer (1 T.)

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups. (24)

Soak the bran and “milk” (water) together in a medium bowl for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the Dry Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. After the bran has soaked for 15 minutes, add the Wet Mix to the bowl, stirring briefly. Dump in the Dry Mix and stir briefly. Scoop evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and push them into the batter with a toothpick. Bake 20 minutes.

Loosen the muffins carefully with a knife and set them on their sides in their muffin cups. Place the tin on a rack. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. These muffins are very moist when just taken from the oven, but firm up on standing, and remain moist the next day. Cool thoroughly and store in a closed plastic bag or container. They will keep moist for 2 or 3 days. These freeze well. (Calories each made with oil--174, 3 weight watcher points. Calories made with homemade margarine--159, 2 w w points)

HICKORY SAUCE--Taylor Snyder

2007-11-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

Taylor say this is like the sauce that is served at The Training Table, but he says "ssh, don't tell!"

1 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 and 1/2 cups Ketchup (or catsup, but don't tell Grandma Rasmussen)
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/8 tsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbs. Red Hot

Fry Sauce

Mix mayonnaise into Hickory Sauce. Serve with steamin' heaps of evil French fries.

HEY CURLY, WHERE'S MOE?--adapted from a recipe from the Chancery Restaurants in Wisconsin

2007-11-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

My daughter-in-law, Michelle loves this. I haven't made it for a long time, I guess it's time because it really is good.

4 (3 oz.) pkgs. Ramen-style noodles (without seasoning packets)
vegetable oil
3 zucchini (6 inches each, with skins on), cut into half-moon slices
60 fresh pea pods, ends trimmed
3 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and julienne-cut
2 large carrots, julienne-cut
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges or 2 bunches green onions, chopped, white part only
Sweet and spicy sauce (recipe following)
Boil noodles 3 to 4 minutes or until tender; drain. In large skillet, stir fry vegetables until they are tender yet still crisp. Add drained hot noodles and enough hot sweet and spicy sauce to coat well. Make 6 to 8 servings.

Sweet and Spicy Sauce:

2 cups water (divided)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese chili with garlic*, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine 1/2 cup water with cornstarch and mix until cornstarch is dissolved. Combine remaining ingredients, including 1 1/2 cups water, in a medium saucepan. Bring to a low boil. Add cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until smooth. Bring to full boil. Refrigerate any unused sauce. Note from Lynne: I used about half to 3/4 recipe of the sauce. Leftovers make a nice sauce for any stir fry.

*I didn't have any Chinese chili with garlic but used a spicy Vietnamese garlic sauce I had in the fridge; it worked wonderfully.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE FOR TEMPURA CHICKEN MADE WITH SUNBURGERS--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Use for tempura battered sunburger chunks (called Sweet and Sour Chicken for Elizabeth who loved it so much when she was little.)

2 cups pineapple juice (or, if you are using pineapple in a stir fry or salad recipe, drain the juice form one 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks plus add enough water to measure 2 cups)
2 cups sugar
¾ cups vinegar
1 tsp. salt
½ cup ketchup, maybe a Tbs. or two more if desired. Taste and adjust.
¼ cup cornstarch (4 Tbs.) dissolved in
½ cup water

Bring juice, sugar, vinegar, salt and ketchup to a boil. Stir in cornstarch and water, whisking constantly. Simmer two minutes. This will keep a long time in the fridge.

TEMPURA BATTER FOR SUNBURGERS MADE INTO SWEET AND SOUR "CHICKEN"--Chef Deb from Vegsource

2007-11-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Deborah on the Vegsource Recipe Board gave me this recipe years ago.

1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. sugar (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
ice water
oil for frying

Vegetables (thin slices of squash, bell pepper, eggplant, broccoli and cauliflower florets or whole green beans.)

Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder. Add ice water slowly, stirring until mixture is like a thick pancake batter. Dip vegetables into batter, shake off excess. Fry vegetables in oil heated to 350 degrees until light brown and crispy. drain on paper towels.

SUNBURGERS--Doris and Dee Olsen and Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T21:11:00.000-07:00

These burgers have the best texture of any homemade burger I have tasted. I used to make them all the time. I probably should make them again and share them with my daughter's Vegan friends

Bring 10 cups water to a boil and add:
1 1/2 cups powdered imitation beef soup base (I used Frontier brand)
1 1/2 cups nutritional yeast
3/4 cups dry onion flakes
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. basil
1 Tbs. dry parsley
Simmer about 3 minutes, remove from heat and add:
1 1/2 cups Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbs. oil
1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce
1 Tbs. liquid smoke
Stir into:
15 to 20 cups oatmeal
1 cup sunflower seeds

Mixture should be virtually instantly stiff and almost too hard to stir, if not, add additional oats. Scoop out balls using ice cream scoop and place on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Flatten patties and bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes on each side. Patties can be placed in Tupperware containers or plastic bags and frozen. This
recipe makes 40-50 3-inch patties.

Note: Doris and Dee used a small Tupperware hamburger press to shape their patties and I bought one too. Humm. I wonder where it is? To re-heat frozen patties place in a fry pan sprayed with vegetable spray and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes on each side.

To make nuggets cut in one inch pieces, wet with water and shake in flour.
Fry in oil until brown.

To make sweet and sour chicken substitute chicken flavor soup base for the beef soup base. Cut burgers into one inch pieces, dip in tempura batter and fry in hot oil.
Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

CHILAKAS--Betty Helquies--a friend of Lynne's

2007-11-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

This recipe has become a favorite of everyone who tries it; teenagers especially love it. It is similar to taco salad but is set up buffet style and everyone builds their own Chilaka.

Layer on individual plates:

lettuce, chopped
Fritos brand corn chips
hot chili
tomatoes, chopped
olives, chopped
green onions, chopped
ranch dressing or sour cream
salsa

VEGAN STROGANOFF--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Vegan Stroganoff--Lynne Snyder

Onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
mushrooms, sliced
garlic, minced or pressed
Superior Touch Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base
Olive oil
water
Fettuccine Noodles

Sauté onions in oil (or steam in water). Add mushrooms, garlic, some Bouillon and a bit of water; cover and steam until mushrooms are to your liking. Uncover, add white sauce, simmer a minute or two to blend flavors and serve over hot noodles.

White Sauce
flour
pepper
oil
soy milk
salt

Sauté flour and pepper (pepper is the secret ingredient in a good white sauce--it must be sautéd with the flour and oil) in oil for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Whisk in soy milk and salt to taste. Heat until it is thick.

VEGAN CLAM DIP--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

When we were Vegan two of our boys "stole" the Vegan Clam Dip and barricaded themselves in a bedroom with a bag of chips. They thought they had the "real" non-vegan version. They practically ate the whole batch before coming out. When we told them they blustered and stammered but they had been caught--they couldn't tell the difference!

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
½ cup soy milk
1 Tbs. A-1 steak sauce
1 Tbs. Braggs Liquid Aminos
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
½ cup dry Chicken TVP (or plain TVP or seafood TVP if you can find it)
additional soy milk if needed

Blend everything (except TVP) together well; then add TVP. It will take about 15 minutes for the TVP to re-hydrate and the dip to thicken (if it gets too thick add more soymilk, a few drops at a time). Serve with fresh vegetables and chips.

CLAM DIP--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
1 can clams
½ tsp salt
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. black pepper (very important)
1 good glug Worcestershire sauce, about 1 ½ tsp. to one Tbl.

Put cream cheese and all seasonings and calm juice* in blender and blend until super smooth. Add clams and blend until a little chunky. Taste and adjust seasonings.

*I have noticed that as the years progress the canning companies are putting less clams and more clam juice in the cans. You may want to hold a little of the juice out and add only if the dip is too thick.

Serve with chips and all kinds of veggies.

NEW POTATOES AND PEAS--Lynne's Mom

2007-11-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

As soon as Mom could dig the first new potatoes in the early summer we were sure to have new potatoes and peas for dinner. She only peeled part of the skin off, usually in a little spiral around the potato but I am guessing she peeled the part of the potato that the shovel might have nicked. This dish meant summer to me, along with rhubarb (which I adored) and asparagus (which I did not adore but have since learned to).

New potatoes
Fresh or frozen peas
milk or soy milk
green onions (optional)
garlic (optional)
oil
flour
pepper
salt

Clean and boil new potatoes until tender. (If they are too large cut in half or fourths.) Put frozen peas (or fresh picked if you are lucky enough to have them) into the boiling potato water and remove pot from the heat. Let stand one or two minutes. Drain.

Sauté green onions and garlic (if using) in oil a minute or two, add flour and pepper (pepper is the secret to a good white sauce) and continue sautéing a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in milk or soy milk and salt to taste. Add drained potatoes and peas.

LEMON BARS--Sharee Snyder

2007-11-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sharee made a double batch of this years ago for a wedding shower. They were so good they have been in the family cookbook ever since.

Crust:
1 cake mix-lemon or chocolate (if using chocolate eliminate lemon juice. We have never tried chocolate because we love the lemon so much.)
1 egg or egg substitute--I have used EnerG egg replacer, adding a tsp. nutritional yeast to each “egg.”
1/3 cup oil

Mix cake mix, 1 egg and the oil together well. Save out one cup of mixture. Press remaining mixture into 9x13 pan; bake 350° for 15 min.

Middle layer

1 egg or replacement
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese (I have used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese for the vegan version)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice

Cream together cream cheese, egg or egg substitute, sugar and lemon juice until smooth and light. Pour over baked crumbs.

Topping: Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top and bake at 350° 13 more minutes.

CARROT CAKE--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe years and years ago, when I was newly married. I wrote down the baking temperature as 225 °--I was too inexperienced to know that no one would bake a cake at 225°. So, I baked it at that temperature and it baked and baked and baked. Finally the toothpick test said it was done. Well it was fabulous. Everyone LOVED it. The only problem is that the cake rose and slurped over the top and the slurped part burned in the bottom of the oven. But we loved it and so we had slurping cake for years and years. When we went Vegan I modified it to use tofu. No more slurping over and it was just as good.

2 cups sugar
1 (12.3 oz.) pkg. silken tofu
1 cup oil (original recipe called for a cup and a half)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 scant tsp. salt
1 Tbs. soda
1 Tbs. cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 to 2 cups chopped walnuts (I use almonds if I know someone is allergic to walnuts and it's just as good)

Blend sugar and tofu well in food processor--they must be mixed very well or there will be tofu lumps. Pour mixture into a bowl and add oil and vanilla, mix well. Mix together flour, salt, soda and cinnamon, then stir in tofu mixture. Stir carrots and nuts into batter and pour into a Pam sprayed 9 by 13 inch glass pan. Bake at 225 degrees (note unusual temperature!) for 2 to 2½ hours. Test with a toothpick.

Frost with Duncan Heinz cream cheese frosting or if making this vegan frost with cream cheese frosting made with Better than Cream Cheese, powdered sugar, some soy or rice milk, a little oil and some vanilla.

REDUCED FAT "SOUR CREAM"--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

½ cup cashews
1 cup thick water
2 Tbs. to ¼ cup water
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Put water (not thick water), lemon juice, cashews and oil in a blender and blend until the cashews are liquefied. Add thick water and spices and mix well.

Note: If you double the onion and garlic powder you will have a sour cream that really has some punch. (I like it, but I like very flavorful food. Try it the normal way first. Phil doesn't like the double spiced version.)

"SOUR CREAM" --Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

This is my vegan/vegetarian recipe for sour cream. I like the taste better than commercial sour cream.

½ generous cup cashews or almonds, soaked, drained
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup water
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. Real Salt
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Blend all ingredients except lemon juice until nuts are completely pulverized. Add lemon juice and mix well.

BAKED TOFU—Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

This is a good sandwich "meat" for vegetarians. I used to make it all the time for Phil. He would sneak into the fridge and eat a few pieces. When I went to make him a sandwich...well, you know. Nothing there.

For 14 ounce pkg firm tofu:

¼ cup Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. parsley flakes, finely crushed
1 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder

For 19 ounce pkg firm tofu:
1/3 cup Braggs
2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. parsley flakes, crushed
1 generous tsp. sesame oil
½ heaping tsp. garlic pd.
½ heaping tsp. onion pd.

Mix Braggs, water, oil and spices together and spread some in a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Slice tofu thin and place in pan. Cover with remaining liquid. Bake 325 degrees 45 minutes. Turn tofu over and bake 45 minutes or until done to your liking.

RED PEPPER JAM--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T19:53:00.001-07:00

I have made this in the dead of winter when red peppers were really cheap. It's good on corn bread but not everyone likes it. I love it but then, you know, I like most everything, I like most everybody, mostly I'm just a likable kind of girl.

7 large red bell peppers
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder

10 cups sugar
2/3 cups lemon juice
1 pkg. pectin (or 1/2 cup Instant Clear Jell if you can get it)

Stem and seed peppers, cut into chunks and grind into very fine pieces in a food processor. (This should measure about 4 cups.) Put in a large pan with the vinegar, salt and chili powder, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Mix the sugar and pectin together very well and add to boiling mixture along with the lemon juice. Bring to a rolling boil and boil one minute. Pour into sterilized pint or half pint jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath or steam bath 10 minutes.

GREEN PIZZA—Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

I served this to the Young Women in our ward one time--actually I had them all at my house and we made this from scratch. They all looked at me like I was nuts when I handed them the bottle of Dr. Bonner's seasoning. When they tasted it their eyes widened and one tactless girl said, "This is really good," in such a way that I knew she thought it was going to be awful. It reminded me of a time when a Primary child looked at the wedding picture of her teacher--the teacher had brought the picture as part of her lesson about families--and the child said, "Wow, you used to be pretty." So much for tack among little people. Or the Young Women either.

6 cups flour (Sometimes I have used 4 cups spelt and 2 cups white but mostly I use just white. I should start making it with half whole wheat flour)
½ cup whole wheat flour (optional, when I use spelt I omit this)
1 Tbs. yeast
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp sugar (optional)
3 cups warm water (add more as needed)

Olive oil
Dr. Bonner's Balanced Mineral Seasoning (Buy at Health Food Store)

Mix dry ingredients well then add the water until you have a nice soft dough. Press on 2 lightly greased cookie sheets. Brush generously with olive oil and sprinkle heavily with Dr. Bonner’s Balanced Mineral Seasoning

Top with:
Mozzarella cheese of your choice, vegan or otherwise
chopped green onions
sliced tomatoes (Roma work best)
green olives, sliced
sliced zucchini (optional)
pepperoncini (banana peppers), sliced
vegan pepperoni (optional—I don’t use this)

Bake 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until light brown on the bottom of the crust.

SKI DAY SUPPER--Julie McKay--Lynne's friend

2007-11-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

My friend makes this for her kids on ski day and doubles the recipe (she has hungry boys). She says it's great comfort food. When the kids come in the door after skiing and they smell this they are all smiles.

1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 dry package Italian salad dressing mix (such as Good Season’s)
4 chicken breasts or equivalent chicken tenders

Mix the cream cheese, soups and salad dressing mix together; add chopped chicken (if you chop it while it’s still a bit frozen it is easy). Put into a crock pot (are they called slow cookers, now?); turn the dial to high and cook for 6-8 hours. Serve over hot egg noodles.

“My kids love this,” Julie says. “Everybody loves it.”

BROILED CHICKEN--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Dinner is ready in 30 minutes. This is one of Phil's favorites.

chicken legs and thighs*
Seasoned salt such as Lawry's

Rinse chicken pieces with water. Place chicken in the oven on a broiler pan** (with a little water in the bottom of the pan--this helps keep the fat and juices that collect in the pan from burning) six inches from heating element. Sprinkle very generously with seasoned salt--a lot of the salt will come off in the broiling process. Broil ten minutes. Turn off oven for ten minutes but do not open the oven door. Turn chicken over, season with seasoned salt; broil ten minutes. Remove from the oven very carefully as it is easy to spill the greasy water. Serve.

Note: you may want to check the chicken after 7 or 8 minutes to see if it is burning. If it is just turn the oven off and close the door for 10 minutes. Proceed as above.

*You could use chicken breasts but be sure and leave the skin on as they tend to dry out. Most of the fat is broiled out of the skin. Honest it is, you end up with crusty, savory, salty (not too much as most of it broils away with the fat) chicken, almost no fat.

**Note: I use a cookie sheet instead of a broiler pan because I think it's easier to clean. I put two cake/cookie cooling racks on the cookie sheet (put some water in the bottom) and put the chicken on top.

Note again: Before we started putting water in the bottom of the pan the unseen smoke from the broiling chicken would set the smoke alarm off in the upstairs hall. Someone would run up with a book and fan the air by the smoke alarm until it quit screeching. Water in the bottom of the pan eliminated that routine. I think the kids kind of missed the drama.

Clean-up: Pour the greasy water into an empty jar that you are throwing away or mix a LOT of dish detergent into the greasy water, mix well and put down the garbage disposal. Follow with lots more hot soapy water.

PASTA SALAD--Emily's (Hillary's friend of 20 years) Mom's recipe

2007-11-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

This is a simple recipe, it doesn't look like much but it is tasty. Bentley LOVES it so when he and Tricia come home I try and remember to make it.

Macaroni pasta
1 part Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
3 parts sweet cucumber chip’s pickle juice
chopped pickles
1 can tuna
shredded carrots
frozen peas
finely minced green onions
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne

Boil pasta. Add all other ingredients to taste.

SUMMER PASTA--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T10:55:00.001-07:00

Summer Pasta! Yum.

The best pasta you will ever eat. I promise.

SUMMER PASTA--Lynne Snyder

4 cups chopped ripe tomatoes (I use Roma tomatoes)
1 (16 oz.) can black olives, sliced in thirds
½ cup chopped fresh basil or 2 Tbs. dried
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. (or more) balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
pepper to taste (use a lot of pepper)
salt (start with ½ tsp. and add if needed)
Angel hair pasta

Mix all sauce ingredients together.

Boil Angel hair pasta 4 to 4½ minutes. Drain pasta, rinse with very hot water and drain again. Serve w/ room temp. sauce.

This is the very best pasta I have ever tasted. When I first made Summer Pasta we loved it so much we ate it eight times in one month. I gave the recipe (plus a bunch of basil) to a friend and later she said "Lynne, we ate Summer Pasta eight times that month." (It must be a rule.) Almost all my neighbors now grow basil just so they can have Summer Pasta. Last winter I got a craving for it and so I used 2 Tbs. dried instead of the fresh basil and it was wonderful.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

They sell this soup in our favorite Pizza restaurant and I think I cloned the recipe. In fact (don't tell anyone) this recipe may be better

Chicken breasts or thighs
Onion, chopped
Garlic, chopped or pressed, lots
Lots of water
Noodles, homemade style (“Country Pasta” this USED to be sold at Costco. It is available in the grocery store but we bought a different brand with shorter pasta noodles and we liked it better, they were still nice and thick noodles.)
Carrots, peeled and chopped
Celery, chopped
Parsley
“Chicken Base” to taste (available at Costco--or at a grocery store. This is a thick paste. Be careful not to add too much because it's salty.)
Flour, dissolved in water

Boil chicken, onion and garlic in water until chicken is done. Remove chicken, cool and chop. Boil carrots and celery in separate pans until almost tender, drain. Put noodles in chicken water and boil until tender—this takes a long time, almost 30 minutes. Add chicken base to taste—it takes quite a lot, and a bit of parsley. Thicken with flour and water, boil about three minutes to cook the flour. Add vegetables and chicken. Serve.

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING--We mainly use this as a final topping for Black Bean Hummus--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup Better than Milk brand soy powder (more/less if needed)
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or ½ tsp. dry
1 Tbs. liquid vegetable glycerin (or sugar to taste)
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil or ¼ rounded tsp. dry basil
1 clove garlic, pressed
3/4 tsp. Real Salt
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. black pepper

Put all ingredients except milk powder in the blender and mix well. With blender running sprinkle in milk powder until it is as thick as you want. (This takes a while to mix.) Sometimes it separates, stir and refrigerate.

BLACK BEAN HUMMUS--Lynne Snyder

2007-11-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful (and tasty) lavender hummus.

1½ cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
2 to 3 Tbs. cooking liquid from beans
2 to 4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1½ Tbs. tahini
1 to 2 cloves garlic, pressed
½ to ¾ tsp. ground cumin
½ to ¾ tsp. salt
1/8 to ¼ tsp. black pepper, optional
Caesar salad dressing

In food processor mix black beans, 2 tablespoons cooking liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, ½ tsp. cumin, ½ tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Make a well in the center of the hummus, pour Caesar salad dressing in the center and serve with plain tortilla chips.