FOR THE LOVE OF GRUB

LENTIL BEAN CHILI

2012-01-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

~ Kelly Leonard/Cooking for the Guys & Sonlight Forums

1 T. oil
1 large onion, chopped
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 c. vegetable broth
1 1/2 c. dried lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 t. chili powder
2 t. ground cumin
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in oil over medium heat until soft. Add tomatoes, broth and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 20 min.

Add remaining ingredients and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.

Notes: I use two cans of diced tomatoes instead of crushed, two cups of crockpot beans instead of canned, add one cup of grated carrot, then serve it over brown rice and top with sour cream. It's delicious!!

E-Z DROP BISCUITS

2011-11-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

2 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
2 t. sugar
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Stir in butter and milk just until moistened. Drop batter on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon. Bake until golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes. Makes 12.

Notes: Crispy outside, soft inside! The recipe says this makes 12, but there's no way that's going to happen if you drop by the tablespoon. So, use a tablespoon and get more than 12 biscuits or just scoop your batter into 12 blobs for an even dozen.

PERFECT PUMPKIN MUFFINS

2011-10-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

~ Laura Bodine/Laura's Kitchen

2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup water
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease or line muffin tin. Beat eggs. Add oil, water and pumpkin. Add spices, sugar, baking soda and flour. Mix well. Pour into muffin liners or greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Makes 15 muffins.

OLIVE & FETA PASTA

2011-10-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

8 oz. uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
dried oregano to taste
salt and pepper to taste
12 black olives, pitted and sliced
1 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the garlic for two minutes. Mix in the mushrooms and zucchini. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in olives and cook until heated through. Place pasta in the skillet, toss to coat, and continue cooking about two minutes. Top with feta cheese to serve.

Notes: We double this for our family of five, which allows for some leftovers, and make the following changes - leave out the zucchini, add one jar of marinated artichoke hearts (with liquid) & one can of plain artichoke hearts (drained), use a bunch of extra olives and feta. You can also use regular, button mushrooms instead of crimini ones. This dish would be really good with sun dried tomatoes, but I haven't actually tried it that way yet. It's also good hot or cold.

DO-IT-ALL MARINADE

2011-10-13T17:48:00.000-07:00

~ All You - 8/26/11

3/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour marinade over chicken, steak or pork; cover and chill meat for at least 5 hours. Remove meat from marinade, discarding marinade. Pat meat dry and cook as desired.

Notes: We use this with three pounds of chicken breasts and it's delicious, even better if you let it sit for 24 hours.

TIG'S BLACK BEAN CHILI

2011-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

~ Sandy/Great Recipes Begin With Love & Sonlight Forums

2 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 lb. ground turkey
16 oz. chicken or vegetable broth
1 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. cumin
3/4 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes and chiles
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 T. (or more) cornmeal
cilantro
shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground turkey, onion, and green pepper in olive oil. Add remaining ingredients through kidney beans and simmer for one hour. Add cornmeal to thicken the chili, cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and cheddar cheese.

Notes: We always have canned tomatoes & chiles on hand, so I use two cans of diced tomatoes and a 4 oz. can of chiles instead of one can of Rotel and one of tomatoes. I also use about 4 T. of cornmeal, dried kidney beans I've previously cooked and frozen, and four cups of crockpot beans in place of the canned black beans.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

2011-10-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

~ Amy Alonzo

3/4 c. margarine, softened
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 egg
2-3 bananas, mashed
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
6 oz. chocolate chips
2/3 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13-inch pan.

Blend margarine, sugar, brown sugar, and baking powder until creamy. Mix in egg, bananas, and vanilla. Add flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Spread in pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Notes: This is still moist and sweet if you use whole wheat flour and is also tasty without the chocolate chips.

GRILLED SALMON

2011-09-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1 1/2 lb. salmon fillets
lemon pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
salt, to taste
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Notes: So yummy! Tim, who adds extra seasoning to just about everything he eats, loved this exactly as it was made. That's saying a lot! If you can't grill, then you can bake the salmon at 425 degrees either in a foil packet or not. How long it takes will depend on the thickness of your fish and whether or not it's wrapped in foil, but 15 minutes is the minimum cooking time.

GARLIC CHICKEN WITH MORE GARLIC

2011-09-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

~ Tiffany/Eat at Home & Sonlight Forums

3-4 lb. chicken, any cut
1 large onion, sliced
1 T. olive oil
2 t. paprika
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
20-40 garlic cloves, peeled & left whole

Put the onions in the bottom of the crockpot. In a large bowl, mix the chicken with the other ingredients. Put the chicken in the crockpot on top of the onions. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours.

Notes: You can prep, mix, and freeze all ingredients except the onions. I just dump all the ingredients into the freezer bag, then seal the bag and squish it around until the chicken is evenly coated with seasonings before putting it in the freezer. On cooking day, simply slice the onions and put them in the crockpot, then dump the frozen chicken mixture on top and cook on low. I like serving this over couscous.

S'MORES BARS

2011-09-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

~ About.com

3/4 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
3 c. crushed graham crackers, about 18 whole
1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
8 milk chocolate bars, approximately 1 1/2 oz. each
3 1/2 c. miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9x13-inch pan.

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in crushed graham crackers, flour, and salt. Reserve 1 cup of the graham cracker mixture and press remaining mixture over the bottom of prepared pan. Arrange chocolate bars, in a single layer, over graham cracker crust mixture in the pan. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Crumbled reserved graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut into bars and cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen bars.

Notes: If you eat these when they're barely warm, then they'll be perfectly gooey, a little messy, and a tad too greasy. There's probably enough butter in the crust that you don't really need to grease the pan, which would get rid of the greasy problem, but I'm not sure. If you eat these after they've cooled completely, then they don't feel so greasy, are less messy, and the chocolate is solidified. Either way is good, just different.

PLUM BREAD

2011-09-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1 c. pitted, chopped plums
1 T. flour
1/2 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1/3 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Sprinkle chopped plums with 1 tablespoon of flour in a bowl, and toss to coat. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the margarine, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. In another bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cup of flour with salt and baking soda.

Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, alternating with yogurt until the mixture forms a smooth batter. Lightly stir in the flour-coated plums, and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top of the batter with brown sugar.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven, and let cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan for slicing.

Notes: This is like cake in a loaf pan. Delicious! It's just as good from the freezer as from the oven and is great when toasted. Mine bakes closer to an hour, though I bake two at a time, so allow extra time in case you need it.

PLUM BUCKLE

2011-09-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

7 c. pitted and quartered plums
2/3 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. milk
2 t. vanilla extract

TOPPING
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the plums into the bottom of the baking dish.

In a large bowl, mash together 2/3 cup butter with 1 1/2 cups of sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in 3 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter over the plums.

Mix 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl to make a crumbly topping; spread over the batter.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Notes: Excellent plain or with vanilla ice cream! Mine has to bake for about an hour. I'd recommend adding the milk one cup at a time so it doesn't splash everywhere when you mix it in. I'd also suggest not softening the butter in the topping and just cutting it into the mixed dry ingredients. If it's soft, then the topping is very doughy and not crumbly at all. Tastes fine either way, but it's just hard to glop the topping on the top of the batter if it's gooey.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

2011-09-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

~ Kristal/Knit 1 Kids 4 & Sonlight Forums

2 c. shredded, cooked chicken
1-2 chopped, unpeeled Granny Smith apples
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T.. plain yogurt
2 T. honey mustard
1 t. lemon juice
1/8 t. salt
raisin bread
leaf lettuce

Combine all ingredients except bread and lettuce in a medium bowl and mix well. Make sandwiches with bread and lettuce. Makes about 5 sandwiches.

Notes: These sandwiches are even better if you toast the raisin bread first, though they're also good on non-raisin bread.

CHILI DOG CASSEROLE

2011-09-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

~ my own little brain

8 hot dogs
5 hot dog buns
1 onion, chopped
4 c. homemade or 2 cans chili
1 c. shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil hot dogs, then slice into 1/2 inch pieces. While hot dogs are cooking, tear buns into bite-sized pieces. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, then pour into 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Notes: The taste of a chili dog, but none of the mess! These quantities work for our family, but you can tweak them to suit your needs or preferences. If you want, you can let the buns sit out for a while or let them toast while your oven is heating so that they are firmer in the casserole.

CHICKEN & GREEN BEAN STIR FRY

2011-08-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

~ Tannis/Collector of Recipes & Sonlight Forums

1 lb. green beans
4-6 T. sesame oil
2 T. minced ginger
2 T. minced garlic
1/2 c. + 2 T. soy sauce
2 T. apple cider vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
sesame seeds

Steam green beans until crisp-tender and bright green, then set aside.

Meanwhile, heat half of the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, then sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add remaining oil to pan. Once the oil is hot, add green beans, garlic, and ginger; stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Put chicken back in skillet, then add soy sauce and vinegar; cook until sauce begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

BETTER THAN POTATO SALAD

2011-07-19T19:31:00.001-07:00

~ Debbie Hyland

4 c. cooked rice
8 radishes, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeded & chopped
2 c. thinly sliced celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 T. mustard
3/4 t. salt

In a large bowl, combine rice, radishes, eggs, cucumber, celery, and onion. In a separate container, combine mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least one hour before serving.

Notes: This has the taste of potato salad with the texture of rice. Yum! We use about one cup of grated carrot in place of the radishes. The flavor is pretty mild, so you may want to add some of your favorite seasonings, pepper, or extra salt.

DUTCH CREAM WAFFLES

2011-07-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

~ Taste of Home website

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs, separated
1 c. heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks on low speed; gradually add cream and beat for 1 minute. Add to flour mixture; combine on low speed, then beat on medium-high until smooth.

In another bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter.

Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Makes 3 waffles.

Notes: If you like your waffles thick & fluffy, then this is the recipe for you!

HEARTY HAMBURGER SOUP

2011-07-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, minced
4 carrots, minced
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1/2 c. barley
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 c. water
3 10 oz. cans beef broth
10.75 oz can condensed tomato soup
1 bay leaf
1 T. parsley
1 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. dried thyme
ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat, and crumble in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is evenly browned and no longer pink. Drain, and discard any excess grease.

Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover; simmer for 2 hours, stirring frequently. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Notes: I add a bunch of extra garlic and thyme, along with some red pepper flakes.

PERFECT LEMON BREAD

2011-06-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

~ Connie/ggmom - Sonlight Forums

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar, divided
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
1 1/2 t. lemon zest
4 1/2 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, one cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Beat together eggs, milk, oil and zest; add to flour mixture. Stir until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.

Combine lemon juice and remaining sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Using a skewer, poke holes in hot bread; drizzle hot glaze over top and cool. Makes one loaf.

Notes: This is more like a dense cake in a loaf pan than bread. It's delicious!

SPINACH LENTIL SOUP

2011-06-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1/3 c. uncooked white rice
2/3 c. water
1 t. vegetable oil
4 oz. kielbasa, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
6 c. water
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. dry lentils
10 oz. fresh spinach, torn

In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the kielbasa until lightly browned. Mix in onion and carrot, and red pepper. Cook and stir until tender. Pour in the water and broth, and mix in lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.

Stir the cooked rice and spinach into the soup, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: After reading the reviews on allrecipes, I made a few changes. First, I add the 2/3 cup of water and uncooked rice to the pot along with the lentils and the rest of the liquids. Second, I switch the quantities of broth and water, using 2 cups of water and 6 cups of broth. Third, I throw in 2-3 chopped cloves of garlic and a couple extra ounces of kielbasa. I know the thought of lentils and spinach would make a lot of people gag, but this is not an earthy, healthy tasting soup. It's packed with flavor and absolutely delicious!

COCONUT ALMOND MUFFINS

2011-06-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

~ Julie/aJuJuBean - Sonlight Forums

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. melted butter
1/2 t. almond extract
1 c. coconut
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 c. sliced almonds
additional sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl whisk the egg, add sour cream, butter and extract; combine well. Stir egg mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in coconut and chocolate chips.

Fill greased muffin cups with batter. Sprinkle with almonds and additional sugar. Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Makes 12-15 muffins.

Notes: The chocolate chips aren't bad in this, but I find them unneccesary and prefer not to add them. That being said, I'm not a chocoholic and the rest of you may love to include them.

Kami made a healthier version of these to accomodate her family's allergies and dietary preferences, so if you're looking for an eggless version with different flours and sugars, then check out her version.

BANANA WHEAT BREAD

2011-06-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Combine oil, honey, eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas in a bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in dry ingredients, and add the banana mixture. Mix together until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in nuts.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake one hour. Test for doneness, then cool on wire rack.

Notes: This is not a sweet banana bread, but still moist and tasty. It's great toasted and buttered!

CHEESY SPINACH MASHED POTATOES

2011-06-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

~ my own little brain

4 lb. potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
milk
sour cream
butter
salt
4 large handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
1 c. shredded cheddar
1 c. French fried onions

Place potatoes, garlic, and green onions in boiling water until potatoes are tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and mash potatoes. Add milk, sour cream, butter, and salt until the desired taste and texture has been reached. Stir in spinach and cheddar. Spread in 9x13-inch pan and sprinkle with French fried onions. Bake 30 minutes.

Notes: You can't taste the spinach at all, which makes this dish perfect for people who are looking for ways to incorporate spinach into the diets of people who don't like it.

NORTHWEST SALMON CHOWDER

2011-06-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

~ Taste of Home website

1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3 T. butter
14.5 oz. chicken broth
1 c. uncooked diced peeled potatoes
1 c. shredded carrots
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 - 3/4 t. dill weed
14.75 oz. can cream-style corn
2 c. half-and-half cream
1 3/4 - 2 c. fully cooked salmon chunks or 14.75 oz. can salmon, drained, flaked, bones and skin removed

In a large saucepan, saute celery, onion, green pepper and garlic in butter until the vegetables are tender. Add broth, potatoes, carrots, salt, pepper and dill; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are nearly tender. Stir in the corn, cream and salmon. Simmer for 15 minutes or until heated through. Makes two quarts.

Notes: So full of flavor!!

LEMON GARLIC CUCUMBERS

2011-05-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

~ Judy Crawford

2 cucumbers
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. garlic salt

Peel cucumbers and cut into chunks, then place in bowl. Add lemon juice & garlic salt. Toss and serve.

Notes: This combo will result in most of the lemon juice settling at the bottom of the bowl, so you can use less lemon juice & garlic salt if you want. Just use this recipe as a starting point and tweak the ingredient amounts to suit your taste.

ORANGE CREAMSICLE COOKIES

2011-05-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

~ Sweet Pea's Kitchen

2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. fresh orange zest, grated
2 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and white chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 8 -10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Cool for 3 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Makes 3 dozen.

Notes: A friend gave me some of these to satisfy a cookie craving and they've got the flavor of a creamsicle in the form of a cookie. Delicious! You can substitute orange extract for the zest and grease the cookie sheet instead of using parchment paper.

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

2011-04-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

~ Angela Avers

up to 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, cleaned & quartered
2 T. teryaki sauce
2 T. butter
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. garlic powder

Put all ingredients in skillet and heat over medium-high until mushrooms are as soft as desired, stirring frequently.

Notes: Depending on the sweetness of your teriyaki sauce, you may want to omit the teaspoon of sugar. We use Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki with one pound of mushrooms and it's almost too sweet with the sugar. I like serving these over couscous, as it absorbs some sauce and cuts the sweetness a little.

ARTICHOKE SPINACH LASAGNA

2011-04-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
14.5 oz. can vegetable broth
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary
14 oz. can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
4 oz. pkg. herb and garlic feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Spray medium or large pot with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.

Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, then top with remaining artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.

Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes: Regular feta works just fine and Monterey jack can be used in place of mozzarella.

SPRING DELIGHT

2011-04-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

~ Silas, my son

24 oz. cottage cheese
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
2 c. miniature marshmallows

Mix all ingredients. Chill until serving.

VEGGIE SCRAMBLE

2011-04-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

~ Finding Joy in My Kitchen

2 eggs
1/2 t. olive oil
1/2 c. broccoli, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/8 c. colby jack cheese, shredded
pepper, to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the veggies and saute for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add eggs, stirring occasionally until cooked through. Top with cheese. Serves two.

Notes: We triple this and add four eggs for our family of five.

CHAMP

2011-03-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

~ Susan Williams - Wild Life in the Woods & Sonlight Forums

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced

Boil potatoes until very tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring cream and butter to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Add green onions, then remove from heat. Cover and let steep while potatoes finish cooking.

Drain potatoes thoroughly, then return to the pot they cooked in and mash them. Add cream mixture and stir until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes: We double this recipe for our family of five and polish it off easily. According to Susan, this can be prepared two hours early. Just cover the dish, letting it stand at room temperature, then rewarm over low heat, stirring often.

PORK FOR TACOS

2011-03-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

~ my own little brain

3 lb. pork shoulder (roast or steaks)
6 T. taco seasoning

Place pork and seasoning in crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours or until meat falls apart when touched with a fork. Shred with two forks before serving.

Notes: The quantities are totally flexible. If you're using the seasoning recipe I linked, then use two tablespoons per pound of meat. If you're using a store-bought package, then use as directed.

CHEESY HAM & ASPARAGUS BAKE

2011-03-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1 1/2 c. chopped cooked ham
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped red bell peppers
10 oz. package frozen cut asparagus, thawed
8 eggs
2 c. milk
1 c. flour
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
3/4 t. tarragon
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix the ham, onion, red bell peppers, and asparagus in the prepared baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, flour, Parmesan, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Pour over the ham mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with cheese and continue baking 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: I use fresh asparagus that I've blanched and mine bakes closer to 30 minutes before a toothpick came out clean. There's a good chance your egg batter will be lumpy if you add all the ingredients at once, but it won't feel or look lumpy once the dish is cooked.

SLOW COOKER LENTIL & HAM SOUP

2011-03-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1 c. dried lentils
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. diced cooked ham
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. black pepper
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
8 t. tomato sauce

In a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker combine the lentils, celery, carrots, onion, garlic and ham. Season with basil, oregano, thyme, the bay leaf and pepper. Stir in the chicken broth, water and tomato sauce. Cover; cook on low for 11 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Notes: I use a 14.5 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of 8 teaspoons and two cans of broth instead of 32 ounces. It's perfect, neither too watery nor too thick. Our soup is ready to eat in 9-10 hours, so just keep an eye on yours. While the taste won't change, you don't want your lentils to overcook to the point of disintegrating.

WESTERN OMELETTE CASSEROLE

2011-03-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

~ Tiffany/Eat at Home & Sonlight Forums

1/2 - 2/3 loaf of French or Italian bread
2 T. finely diced onion
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1-2 c. diced ham
1 c. shredded cheddar
10 eggs
2 c. milk
1 t. dry mustard
salt and pepper, to taste

Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Tear the bread into pieces and place in the dish. Sprinkle the peppers, onions, ham, and cheese over the top of the bread. Beat the eggs with a whisk. Stir in the milk, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over the ingredients in the pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

HONEY LIME CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

2011-03-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

~ Tannis/Collector of Recipes & Sonlight Forums

6 T. honey
5 T. lime juice
1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded
8 flour tortillas
1 lb. (4 c.) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 c. heavy cream

Mix honey, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic powder and toss with shredded chicken. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and three cups of shredded cheese. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Notes: These enchiladas are fantastic, but definitely on the sweet side! I serve them with crockpot beans to balance out the sweetness. We use ten tortillas and regular whipping cream.

BEST BEAN SALAD

2011-03-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

14.5 oz. can green beans, drained
14.5 oz. can wax beans, drained
15.5 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
14.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained
14.5 oz. can black beans, drained
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. salad oil
1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
3/4 c. white sugar

Combine all the beans, green pepper, onion, and celery in a large bowl; toss to mix. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a separate bowl until the sugar is dissolved, then pour over the bean mixture. Chill eight hours or overnight before serving.

Notes: This is like the three bean salad you find at a deli, but better! I never use canned beans, but that's the only way I can find the wax beans. So, I use canned wax, frozen green, and dried garbanzo, kidney, and black that I'd previously cooked and frozen. It's good as is, but I also like mixing it up with some couscous.

BEAKER'S VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP

2011-02-23T23:08:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

2 qt. vegetable broth
1 c. uncooked barley
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 zucchini, chopped
15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1 onion, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. white sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. curry powder
1 t. paprika
1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 90 minutes.

Notes: Even the vegetable soup haters in my family like the flavor of this broth. Yum! I dump in a handful of chopped fresh parsley in place of dried.

Cutting costs: Use about two cups of dried beans you previously cooked and froze instead of canned beans.

SILAS' CHICKEN

2011-02-17T22:08:00.000-08:00

~ Silas, my son

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 oz. can diced green chiles
1/2 onion, chopped
2 lbs. chicken breasts
grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in 9x13 pan. Pour tomatoes, chiles, and onions on top of each breast. Bake 50 minutes or til no longer pink. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese before serving.

SPICY CRUNCHY CHICKPEAS

2011-02-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

~ All You - 1/21/11

2 t. olive oil
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cumin
1 t. allspice
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 15 1/2-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained, thoroughly patted dry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and toss to coat thoroughly. Turn chickpeas out onto baking sheet and roast, stirring or shaking baking sheet often, until chickpeas are browned and crunchy, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool before serving, stirring occasionally.

Notes: These are a little dry, but the flavor it good and we all tend to compulsively eat them when they're sitting out. I use four cups of dried beans I previously cooked and froze, skip the foil (used it once, but it made no difference in anything), and cook for about an hour. I stir every 15 minutes and it's a little tricky at the end. At 45-50 minutes many of the beans are still a little chewy in the middle, but at 55-60 minutes some of the beans are getting charred. So, just keep an eye on things. In case you don't know what a chickpea is, it's just another name for garbanzo beans.

Cutting costs: Cook and use dried beans instead of canned ones.

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN STEW

2011-02-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

~ Rachelle Smythe

16 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
2 c. diced, cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
16 oz. can chicken broth
1 1/2 c. chunky salsa
3/4 T. chili powder
1 t. dried parsley flakes

Place all ingredients in crockpot and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Notes: I use two cups of the world's best beans in place of canned pintos and a handful of fresh parsley in place of dried. This freezes well!

GREEN SALAD - FRUIT & NUT STYLE #1

2011-02-09T23:49:00.001-08:00

~ my own little brain

lettuce and/or spinach, chopped
oranges, peeled and chopped
raisins
walnuts, chopped and toasted

Place lettuce and spinach in salad bowl, then sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

Notes: Use whatever quantity of each ingredient works for you. I don't use dressing on this, as I think the juice from the oranges provides enough flavor and moisture, but you could dress it if you wanted to.

BARLEY BAKE

2011-02-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

1/4 c. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 c. uncooked pearl barley
1/2 c. pine nuts
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 14.5 oz. cans vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, barley, and pine nuts. Cook and stir until barley is lightly browned. Mix in green onions, mushrooms, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart casserole dish, and stir in the vegetable broth. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until liquid has been absorbed and barley is tender.

Notes: I double or triple the mushrooms. If you'd like to use less broth, then use one can and cover the dish with foil before putting in the oven.

QUINOA & BLACK BEANS

2011-01-31T17:09:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

1 t. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 c. uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. frozen corn kernels
2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Notes: Really tasty! I use a full can of broth, as I'd rather not have 1/2 cup to figure out a use for and substitute four cups of crockpot beans for the canned ones, which adds extra flavor.

COLD SESAME NOODLES

2011-01-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

~ All You - 6/18/10

1 lb. whole-wheat linguine or spaghetti
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 T. chopped fresh ginger
1/2 c. soy sauce
3 T. rice vinegar
2 T. sesame oil
6 T. smooth peanut butter
1 t. sugar
2 c. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
2 1/2 c. frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 carrots, shredded
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.

In a blender, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, peanut butter and sugar; blend until smooth.

Drain pasta, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Toss with sauce in a large bowl, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as necessary to moisten. Add chicken, broccoli, carrots and bell pepper and toss again. Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Notes: A pound of pasta is a lot, so keep that in mind before you get started and cut the recipe if you need to. I use raw broccoli, adding it to the boiling noodles for the last couple minutes to soften it slightly, and shaped pasta, such as bowties. I also mix all ingredients together at once, rather than mixing the sauce & noodles first.

YOGURT STREUSEL MUFFINS

2011-01-12T12:47:00.000-08:00

~ All You - 11/19/10

TOPPING
2/3 c. pecans, almonds or walnuts, finely chopped
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T. unsalted butter

MUFFINS
4 T, unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. plain low-fat yogurt
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt

In a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients and cut butter into dry ingredients. Place in fridge while preparing muffins.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners or coat with non-stick spray. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, whisk butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and yogurt. Stir flour mixture into yogurt mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups. Scatter streusel topping over each muffin and press lightly on crumbs to help them adhere to batter. Bake until tops are golden, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Notes: The streusel oozes everywhere, so you could easily use half the amount and have it all stay on the muffins.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE III

2011-01-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

6 baking potatoes
1 lb. ground pork sausage
2 T. butter
1 onion, sliced
2 t. seasoned salt
1 c. shredded cheddar
12 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan and set aside.

Prick potatoes with a fork, place on a medium baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes, or until tender but firm. Remove from heat, cool, peel, and cube.

Cook and stir sausage in a medium saucepan over medium heat until evenly browned; drain.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir potatoes and onion into saucepan, and cook until potatoes are browned and onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with seasoned salt.

Place potato mixture in the prepared baking dish. Cover with sausage. Sprinkle with cheese, top with eggs, and season with salt and pepper.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until eggs are fully cooked.

Notes: I bake the potatoes directly on the oven rack, though it takes longer than 30 minutes in my oven, or nuke them and never peel them. I cook the onion & potato mixture in the sausage grease, adding additional butter if needed.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2011-01-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes
.
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. milk
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add to flour mixture. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Makes 3 1/2 - 4 dozen cookies.

Notes: I only use 1 - 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and there are still plenty of chips in each cookie. Don't panic if you forget to dissolve the baking soda in the milk. The cookies turn out great, even if you just dump those ingredients in the bowl separately.

SPINACH QUICHE

2010-12-31T21:17:00.000-08:00

~ Crista/CroppinIt - Sonlight Forums

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3 eggs
1/3 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar, separated
3 oz. crushed French fried onion, separated
pre-made pie crust, store-bought or homemade

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick pie crust with fork and bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix spinach, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, 1/2 of the cheese, and 1/2 of the onions. Reserve remaining half of cheese and onions for the topping.

Pour spinach mixture into pre-baked pie shell and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and onion on top and bake another 20 minutes. Quiche is done when toothpick inserted in middle is clean.

Notes: This is not super quiche-y, but more like spinach casserole that's held together with eggs. I serve it with rice and like to mix the two things together on my plate. A small can of onions, which is the magic ingredient, is 2.8 ounces and is just fine for this recipe.

CREAMY PASTA SHELLS WITH BROCCOLI AND HAM

2010-12-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

~ All You - December 17, 2010

1 lb. small pasta shells
4 c. small broccoli florets
2 T. unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 oz. cooked ham, chopped
3/4 c. heavy cream, warmed
1/2 c. grated parmesan
salt & pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 8 - 10 minutes. Add broccoli for last 2- 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain and return to pot.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add ham and cook, stirring, 2 minutes longer. Stir in cream, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 - 5 minutes.

Scrape cream mixture into pot with pasta and broccoli. Add cheese and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately, passing more Parmesan, if desired.

Notes: Yummy comfort food!! I don't pre-warm the cream and if I've bought a half-pint of cream, then I just dump the whole thing in to avoid having 1/4 cup of cream sitting in my fridge. Works just fine!

ARTICHOKE & SHRIMP LINGUINE

2010-12-20T14:56:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

8 oz. whole wheat linguine
1/4 c. olive oil
16 oz. package frozen fully cooked salad shrimp, thawed
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 c. sliced black olives
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/8 t. salt
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp, garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic is lightly browned and shrimp is hot, about 5 minutes. Mix in the artichoke hearts, black olives, lemon juice and salt; cook until heated through.

Toss with pasta in a serving dish and top with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes: Long noodles are a pain with young kids, so we just make this with bite-sized noodles like rotini or fusilli. I slice the artichoke quarters in half, then double all ingredient except the artichokes and shrimp. Parmesan gets put on the table and everyone does their own.

GINGERBREAD ICING

2010-12-17T16:04:00.000-08:00

~ Sarah Glos

3 egg whites
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. cream of tartar

Beat all ingredients for 7 - 10 minutes, until shiny and stiff peaks form.

Notes: A doubled recipe works well for seven kids making graham cracker "gingerbread" houses.

AMY'S BARBECUE CHICKEN SALAD

2010-12-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn
1 head green leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn
1 tomato, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
15.25 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
15 oz. can black beans, drained
2.8 oz. can French fried onions
1/2 c. Ranch dressing
1/2 c. barbecue sauce

Preheat the grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the grill, and cook 6 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.

In a large bowl, mix the red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, tomato, cilantro, corn, and black beans. Top with the grilled chicken slices and French fried onions.

In a small bowl, mix the Ranch dressing and barbecue sauce. Serve on the side as a dipping sauce, or toss with the salad to coat.

Notes: Unless your lettuce heads are unusually microscopic, then one head of lettuce is more than enough. I use two cups of the best beans in the world in place of canned beans (pulled from the freezer), frozen corn in place of canned (just thaw it first), and bake my chicken when grilling isn't convenient.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

2010-11-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

12 oz. cranberries
1 c. white sugar
1 c. orange juice

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes: This is so good!!! After reading the reviews on allrecipes, I decided to do use 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus a dash of cinnamon. I also cook it 15-20 minutes to get a thicker sauce.

ALMOND COCONUT GRANOLA

2010-11-23T17:47:00.001-08:00

~ Annie Ruth - Sonlight Forums

8 c. quick oats
2 c. coconut
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c.slivered almonds
1 c. oil
1 c. water
1 c. honey
1/2 t. salt
1/2 T. vanilla
1/2 T. almond extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix oats, coconut, cornmeal, and almonds in large bowl. In separate bowl , mix remaining ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients; stir well. Spread onto two greased baking sheets.

Bake 4-6 hours or until granola is dried and lightly browned, stirring once while baking. If you like it crunchy, go for the longer baking time. Allow granola to cool, and store in an airtight container. Makes 13 cups

Notes: This is a slightly clumpy and very light-textured granola. This is one of two granola recipes that all three kids love.

Linked up at: Eat at Home

ORANGE LENTIL SOUP

2010-11-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

~ Rachel Smart's Recipes

1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
1 1/3 c. lentils
3/4 c. orange juice
2 carrots, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. thyme
4 c. broth
1/2 c. water

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil at bottom of pan, then add all other ingredients. Simmer 40 minutes.

Notes: The orange flavor is pretty mild, so I use extra juice in place of the water.

WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS

2010-11-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

~ Tiffany/Eat at Home & Sonlight Forums

2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. salt
heaping T. baking powder
5 T. butter, softened
1 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Stir in the milk.

DROP BISCUITS
Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

ROLLED BISCUITS
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Fold it over several times, then pat it out with your hands, about 1/2 inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or small glass dipped in flour to cut the biscuits. Place on a cookie sheet

BOTH METHODS
Bake ten minutes. Makes about 15 drop biscuits.

Notes: I refuse to make rolled biscuits, but that's the only way Tiffany included on her site. So, I tried them as drop biscuits. Not only is that far less work, but they taste fantastic! I'm not sure how many rolled biscuits this recipe would make, so if you do it that way, then please let me know and I'll add that info to this post.

ASIAN ORZO CHICKEN SALAD

2010-11-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

~ Laura/Laura's Kitchen

9 oz. package frozen sugar snap peas
16 oz. orzo, cooked and drained
1 c. water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 c. diced, cooked chicken
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 t. hoisin sauce
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Cook sugar snap peas according to package directions; drain well. In a large bowl, combine sugar snap peas, orzo, water chestnuts, chicken, green onion, and red bell pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Pour over orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Stir in toasted almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes: This is good hot, but I like it even more when it's cold. We always have regular, frozen peas in our freezer, so I use them instead of sugar snap peas. I just let them thaw before using them.

ALTON BROWN'S GRANOLA

2010-11-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

~ 4them - Sonlight Forums

3 c. rolled oats
1 c. slivered almonds
1 c. cashews
3/4 c. shredded sweet coconut
1/4 c. plus 2 T. dark brown sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 T. maple syrup
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3/4 t. salt
1 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.'
.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Notes: Really sweet and totally yummy! This can be made in the crockpot, cooked on low for about three hours. Just make sure to leave the lid cracked and stir periodically.

Cutting costs: Honey can be used in place of maple syrup.

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES

2010-11-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

~ Tannis/Collector of Recipes & Sonlight Forums

1 c. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. pure pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
3 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar and pumpkin puree; beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time thoroughly combined. Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon in a small bowl. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and roll 1 1/2 tablespoons at a time into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until totally coated, then place two inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of a glass.

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes: These are a little more cakey than a regular snickerdoodle. They have enough pumpkin in them that you can tell they're different, but not so much that you can tell the difference is pumpkin.

CABBAGE SOUP

2010-11-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

5 carrots, chopped
3 onions, chopped
2 16 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
1 large head cabbage, chopped
1 oz. dry onion soup mix
15 oz. can cut green beans, drained
2 qt. tomato juice
2 green bell peppers, diced
10 stalks celery, chopped
14 oz. can beef broth

Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery in a large pot. Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Notes: This makes a ton!! If you won't eat it all in a few days and don't want to freeze any, then cut the recipe in half. I use diced tomatoes instead of whole, as they're just easier to eat, and frozen green beans instead of canned. Vegetarians can use vegetable broth instead of beef.

NO-FUSS PUMPKIN CAKE

2010-11-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
3 eggs
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. vegetable oil
18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
16 oz. can vanilla frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, sugar and oil; mix well. Add the cake mix and pumpkin pie spice, then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 15x10 baking pan. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

In a mixing bowl, combine the frosting and cream cheese. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes: This is a recipe that Silas has made for our family. It's really good and super moist, but doesn't have a strong pumpkin flavor. In fact, it tastes pretty much like spice cake, so you could just buy a boxed spice cake mix if you were short on time. We don't have a 15x10 pan, so Silas uses a roasting pan and it works perfectly.

BAKED PORK SPRING ROLLS

2010-11-09T23:06:00.000-08:00

~ allrecipes

1/2 lb. ground pork
1 c. finely shredded cabbage
1/4 c. finely shredded carrot
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t. sesame oil
1/2 T. oyster sauce
2 t. grated fresh ginger root
1 1/2 t. minced garlic
1 t. chile sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. water
12 (7 inch square) spring roll wrappers
4 t. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook pork over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove from heat and drain.

In a medium bowl, mix together pork, cabbage, carrot, green onions, cilantro, sesame oil, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic and chile sauce. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water; set aside for sealing wrappers.

Place equal portions of the pork mixture in the center of each of the wrappers. Roll wrappers around the mixture, folding edges inward to close. Moisten fingers in the cornstarch and water mixture, then rub over wrapper seams to seal.

Arrange spring rolls in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Brush with vegetable oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes, until hot and lightly browned. For crispier spring rolls, turn after 10 minutes

MOROCCAN VEGETARIAN STEW

2010-11-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

~ Taste of Home - October/November 2010

1 large onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. cumin
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. allspice
1/4 t. salt
3 c. water
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots, sliced
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
15 oz. can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained

In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add spices and salt; cook one minute longer. Add the water, squash, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and squash are almost tender. Add zucchini and chickpeas, then return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Notes: We like the flavor of this stew, but the texture of the squash is a huge turnoff for all of us. I puree it, adding more liquid (you can use water or broth) until it reaches the desired consistency, and we all like it much more! Some of us like to serve it with sour cream, both for flavor and to cool it down.

Cutting costs: Use a couple regular tomatoes instead of plum and previously cooked & frozen beans instead of canned. If any of the spices are ones you don't commonly use, then just buy a small amount from the bulk department.

REBECCA'S GRANOLA

2010-11-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

~ Rebecca Burns/From the Burns' Kitchen & Sonlight Forums

6 c. oats
1 c. coconut
1 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. shelled sunflower seeds or almonds
1 c. pumpkin seeds
2/3 c. canola oil
2/3 c. honey
2/3 c. water
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla
cinnamon, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oats, coconut, wheat germ, sunflower seeds or almonds, and pumpkin seeds. In a separate bowl, mix oil, honey, water, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Combine wet and dry ingredients and bake 30-90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until dry and browned.

Notes: Dry ingredients can be adjusted and substitutes made as long as the total amount of dry ingredients remains the same. Cooking time will vary depending on what you cook the granola in - two 9x13 pans, a roasting pan, aluminum bowl, etc. For a point of reference, it takes just under an hour in a roasting pan with my oven.

BARBARA'S PANCAKES

2010-11-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

~ Barbara Nicholson/RBSleep - Sonlight Forums

1 3/4 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
3 T. oil

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, and oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until moistened, but still lumpy. Cook on lightly greased griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Use 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Makes about 20 pancakes.

SIMMERED ITALIAN RICE

2010-10-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

~ Swanson advertisement

1 3/4 c. (1 can) chicken broth
1 t. Italian seasoning
3/4 c. uncooked white rice
1 c. chopped, fresh spinach
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Heat broth and Italian seasoning in 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir rice and spinach into saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in cheese. Serve with additional cheese.

Notes: I double this recipe and it makes enough for all five of us to have a decent serving. I skip the saucepan and just throw everything, except the cheese, into the rice cooker. I don't add Parmesan to the dish, but put it on the table for people to add to their portion. Vegetarians could make this with veggie broth instead of chicken.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

2010-10-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

~ Christina/Choogie - Sonlight Forums

2 c. flour
3 T. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. allspice
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. vinegar

Mix milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar together. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Makes about 15 pancakes.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES & PECANS

2010-10-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

~ All You - August 27, 2010

6 c. chopped, cooked chicken
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 c. chopped celery
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 c. red seedless grapes, sliced lengthwise
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c. pecans

In a large bowl, combine chicken, Dijon mustard, sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, celery, poppy seeds and grapes. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, fold in pecans.

Notes: This is a good, but very mildly flavored, salad. If you like things with more zip, then you could add your favorite seasonings. We've used brown mustard in place of Dijon, just because we already had it, and it tasted fine.

Cutting costs: Use walnuts instead of pecans and buy them (or pecans, if you choose to stick with the recipe) from the bulk department.

LEFTOVER OATMEAL PANCAKES

2010-10-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

~ RidgetopFamilyFarm - Sonlight Forums

1 c. unbleached flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 c. cold cooked oatmeal
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
2 T. oil or melted butter

Mix dry ingredients together; add to oatmeal and mix. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl, then stir into oatmeal mixture. Cook on lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Use 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Notes: These are thick and puffy pancakes that taste wonderful, thanks to the cinnamon!! A pastry cutter is perfect for getting the leftover oatmeal to mix evenly with the dry ingredients.

FABULOUS ZUCCHINI GRINDERS

2010-10-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes
.
1 T. butter
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. marinara sauce
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 (6 inch) French or Italian sandwich rolls, split

.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the zucchini in butter until browned and slightly tender. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and stir in the marinara sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is heated.

Spoon a generous amount of the zucchini mixture into each sandwich roll. Top with a handful of shredded mozzarella. Close the rolls, and wrap individually in aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bread is heated through, and cheese is melted.

.
Notes: I read the review on allrecipes and made the following changes - toast the open rolls while the oven is heating up, use one small/medium zuke per sandwich, saute the zukes on high to speed up the browning, add some garlic powder to the sauce, and put some of the cheese down on the toasted bread before adding the zukes. Toasting the bread and putting cheese down first keeps the sauce from making the bread soggy. You can also use any kind of cheese. We've used a Mexican blend, simply because it was in the house, and the little bit of kick from that was good.

KALE CHIPS

2010-10-19T22:05:00.000-07:00

~ Carol Schaaf

kale
olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear kale into small, bite-sized pieces and place in mixing bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt; toss. Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Notes: Experiment with seasoning for this recipe. While we like the salt version, we like Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning even better! These are perfect in my oven at 11 minutes and much crispier at 12. So, just keep an eye on them the first time around.

QUINOA SALAD WITH APPLES & ALMONDS

2010-10-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

~ Family Fun - May 2010

1 c. quinoa, rinsed
2 c. water
2 T. honey
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 t. coarse salt
3 T. olive oil
1 c. peeled, diced Granny Smith apple
1 c. finely chopped celery
1/3 c. golden raisins
1/3 c. finely chopped parsley
1/2 c. coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
coarse salt and pepper

In a medium-size saucepan, combine the quinoa and water, then bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, stir, and let it cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil until blended.

Add the apple, celery, raisins, parsley, and almonds to the quinoa and toss the ingredients well. Add the dressing and toss once more to coat the salad. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Notes: Regular raisins work just as well as golden ones. You can use regular salt in place of coarse, just use half the amount.

FRUIT & NUT ENERGY BARS

2010-10-12T13:51:00.001-07:00

~ Family Fun - May 2010

1/3 c. pecans
1/3 c. pitted dates
1/3 c. dried apples
dash of cinnamon

Grind pecans in food processor, then set aside in separate bowl. Process dates and apples together. Add the nuts and cinnamon to fruit and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Divide into six portions, mold each into a bar, and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to one week. Makes six bars.

Notes: Making these into six bars, considering there's only one cup of ingredients, is pretty much ridiculous. I just roll them into bite-sized balls, leave them unwrapped, and place in an airtight container in the fridge. If you'd prefer, you can use the processed mixture as a topping for yogurt or hot cereal, rather than shaping into balls or bars.

Cutting costs: Buy all ingredients from the bulk department and use walnuts instead of pecans.

BLACK BEAN DIP

2010-10-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

~ All You - October 22, 2010

2 15 1/2 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 T. olive oil
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
salt

Combine beans, lime juice, oil, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt.

Notes: This dip is light, fluffy, and perfect for carrots, celery, tortilla chips, or pitas. I use a previously frozen quart-sized bag of crockpot beans. You can substitued dried minced onions for the onion powder, if that's what you have handy.

ITALIAN DRESSING

2010-10-07T23:47:00.000-07:00

~ Betty Crocker's Cookbook

1 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. onion salt
1/2 t. paprika
1/8 t. thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Shake all ingredients in tightly covered jar. Refrigerate at least two hours to blend flavors. Shake before serving.

LEMONY SOUR CREAM MUFFINS

2010-10-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

~ Parade - July 11, 2010

2 c. flour
2/3 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 c. sour cream
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. lemon extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest, together in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients, including the lemon juice. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry. Gently, but quickly, stir everything together. Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins are golden. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Makes 12 muffins.

Notes: So good! You may die of a heart attack eating one, but you'll die happy. These turn out just fine with bottled lemon juice and no zest, margarine instead of butter, and no cooling time.

SOY GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

2010-09-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

~ Family Fun - February 2010

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 T. sugar
1 t. grated or minced fresh ginger
1 t. crushed red pepper (or less to taste)
1/4 c. chopped scallions

Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and red pepper, then add the scallions.

Notes: While you can use this for whatever you want, it was paired with Scallion Pancakes in the magazine I found the recipe.

SCALLION PANCAKES

2010-09-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

~ Family Fun - February 2010

3 c. flour, plus more for rolling
3/4 t. salt
1 c. water, plus more for mixing
1 bunch scallions
1/2 c. plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt, then form the mixture into a mound. Make a well in the center and add the water, first filling the well, then pouring what remains around the sides of the bowl. Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to combine the ingredients into a soft, raggedy dough. If it doesn't pull together after about a minute of stirring, add water, one tablespoon at a time (up to 4), to help the dough take shape.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Working with floured hands, knead the dough until it's smooth and springy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Shape it back into a ball and set it aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

While the dough rests, prepare the scallions, then set them aside.

Roll the dough into a log. Halve it crosswise, then cut each half into three pieces. Place five of the portions in a large bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

Dust your hands and work surface with flour. Roll the sixth dough portion into a fairly round, 1/4-inch-thick pancake. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil onto the dough and spread it evenly over the pancake. Scatter 2 generous tablespoons of chopped scallion on top, leaving a 1-inch border.

Roll the pancake into a log. Beginning at one end, wind the log into a spiral as if shaping a cinnamon roll, then tuck the loose end underneath. Use your palm to gently press the dough into a disk. Dust the dough lightly with flour, then roll it into a pancake 6 to 7 inches in diameter.

Warm a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, then coat the pan with 1-1/2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Use a scallion slice to test the temperature of the oil. If it sizzles at once, the oil is ready for frying. If it doesn't, wait about 30 seconds and retest the oil with another scallion slice, repeating as necessary until the oil is hot.

Carefully lay the pancake in the skillet and fry it until its edges puff up and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancake, drizzle another 1/2 teaspoon of oil around the edges of the pan, and continue frying until the second side is golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the pancake to a serving plate.

Repeat the rolling and frying steps for each remaining dough portion. Serve the pancakes hot or warm, cut into quarters or sixths.

Notes: Putting one tablespoon of oil on my rolled pancakes resulted in a slimy mess, but half a tablespoon was just about perfect. My stove cooks hot, so I had to flip my pancakes after about one minute on medium. Three minutes at medium-high would have set off smoke alarms. Keep an eye on your first one and make sure it doesn't scorch! Because they cook so quickly, it's hard to get the next one ready before the first is done cooking. Tim and I do it like an assembly line, with one person rolling and the other frying. These taste great with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce.

ROSEMARY WHITE BEAN DIP

2010-09-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

~ Family Fun - September 2010

14 or 15 oz. can white beans (such as great northern or navy), rinsed and drained
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 T. olive oil
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 t. of grated lemon zest
1 small garlic clove, pressed

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add a tablespoon or two of hot water if the dip doesn't become creamy.

Notes: You can use 1/4 teaspoon of regular salt in place of the kosher salt. The rosemary flavor is hard to notice, so you could easily increase the amount you use.

Cutting costs: Use dried beans that you've previously cooked and frozen.

CARROT GINGER DIP

2010-09-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

~ Family Fun - September 2010

2 medium carrots, sliced
1/2-inch piece ginger, sliced
1/4 to 1/2 t. curry powder
1/4 c. plain yogurt
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. white vinegar
1/2 t. honey or sugar

Steam the carrots and ginger over boiling water until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Blend them with the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Notes: You can use 1/4 teaspoon of regular salt in place of the kosher salt.

DILLY CUCUMBER DIP

2010-09-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

~ Family Fun - September 2010

1 small English cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 c. plain yogurt
1 T. finely chopped fresh dill
1 t. kosher salt
1 T. olive oil
1/2 small garlic clove, pressed

Use the large holes of a grater to shred the cucumber, then lightly squeeze the pieces to extract some of the liquid. In a small bowl, stir together the cucumber with the remaining ingredients.

Notes: You can use 1/2 teaspoon of regular salt in place of the kosher salt.

Cutting costs: Regular cucumbers are a fraction of the price of English cucumbers and there's no difference in taste of the dip.

BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM PANCAKES

2010-09-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

~ Kelly Leonard/Cooking For The Guys & Sonlight Forums

2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. sour cream
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add milk, sour cream and butter; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the blueberries. Use 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and pour onto a greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Makes about 20 pancakes.

Notes: Kelly's site, linked at the top of this post, also includes a recipe for blueberry syrup to pour over the pancakes, but we just eat them plain or with honey. These freeze well and can be toasted for breakfast.

DEATH BY GARLIC

2010-09-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1/2 c. olive oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. penne pasta
1/3 c. grated Romano cheese

Cook pasta according to directions. In a pan, brown garlic in oil. Add salt, pepper and parsley; remove from heat. Toss pasta with garlic mixture and Romano cheese.

Notes: I double the garlic and have people put the cheese on their own portion, rather than adding it to the pot. After reading some of the reviews on allrecipes, I sometimes add a pound of chopped kielbasa to this dish, cooking it with the garlic. Simple, but tasty!

CREAMY LEMON PIE

2010-09-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

3 egg yolks
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. lemon juice
8- or 9-inch baked pie crust or graham cracker crumb crust
whipped topping or whipped cream
lemon zest (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees . Beat egg yolks in medium bowl; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Pour into crust.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool 1 hour. Chill at least 3 hours. Before serving, spread whipped topping or whipped cream over pie. Garnish with lemon zest, if desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Notes: Silas made this for our family and it was delicious. The texture is very similar to cheesecake and the lemon flavor is definitely noticeable, though not overwhelming.

SEATTLE CREAM CHEESE DOGS

2010-09-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

1/4 c. butter
1 Walla Walla or other sweet onion, thinly sliced
4 oz. package cream cheese
4 hot dogs, or your favorite sausages
4 hot dog buns
brown mustard
sauerkraut (optional)

Preheat grill or grill pan for medium-high heat. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and cook slowly until the onions have softened and turned deep brown, about 15 minutes. Warm the cream cheese over low heat in a separate skillet until very soft. Grill hot dogs until well browned. Lightly grill hot dog buns on both sides.

To assemble hot dogs, spread warm cream cheese on toasted hot dog bun, add hot dog or sausage, top with onions, mustard and sauerkraut, if desired.

Notes: Oh my! These are so good! We aren't big sauerkraut fans, but I serve these with sauerkraut hot dog topping and it's delicious.

SAUERKRAUT HOT DOG TOPPING

2010-09-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

16 oz. can sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. sweet pickle relish
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. prepared mustard
1/2 t. caraway seed

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan; cook on low heat until heated through. Serve over hot dogs.

JEN'S CHICKEN

2010-09-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

~ Jen/mamamoz - Sonlight Forums

6 T. olive oil
6 T. soy sauce
6 T. honey
3 T. vinegar
1 1/2 t. thyme
1 1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. allspice
1 T. pepper
chicken

Whisk together all ingredients except chicken. Place chicken in a baking dish. Pour sauce over top and cover with foil. Baking temperature and cooking time will vary, but an estimate would be boneless, skinless chicken at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Notes: Quite possibly the best chicken I've ever had in my life. Moist, tasty, and delicious served with excess sauce over a pile of rice! It's also good shredded and added to salads or wraps. It is a little spicy, so you can cut back on the pepper if you think it's too much for your crew. You can also cook this in the crockpot for four hours on high.

Cutting costs: If any of the spices are things you don't normally have on hand, then be sure to buy just enough for this recipe from the bulk department.

GRILLED SICILIAN ZUCCHINI

2010-09-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

~ my own little brain

zucchini, cut into spears
simple Sicilian salad dressing

Marinate zucchini in dressing for as long as you want, then place on hot grill until it's slightly limp and the outside is as charred as you want it.

SIMPLE SICILIAN SALAD DRESSING

2010-09-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.

RICE, KALE, & EGGS

2010-08-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

~ Growing in Grace/Sonlight Forums

eggs
rice
kale, any big center ribs removed
sesame oil
Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce

Put rice in the rice cooker or start it on the stove.

Chop up kale. Heat up a skillet, pour in small amount of sesame oil. Toss in kale and splash with Braggs; stir until tender.

In a separate pan, heat sesame oil. Scramble eggs in bowl, then pour into hot skillet and stir until cooked thoroughly.

Serve rice, kale, & eggs.

Notes: Quantities are dependent on how many people you're feeding, so do what works for you. I serve all three items mixed together, so after I've cooked the kale, I put some in each person's bowl, then use the same pan to heat the eggs. As the eggs and rice finish cooking, I add some to each bowl.

EASY CRANBERRY GRANOLA

2010-08-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

4 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chopped almonds
1 c. dried cranberries
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 1/4 c. honey
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, wheat germ, walnuts, almonds, dried cranberries, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Drizzle over the dry ingredients and stir to coat evenly. Spread the mixture out in a thin layer on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes to toast evenly. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Granola will become crunchier as it cools.

Notes: This takes closer to 50 minutes for me, though I'm sure the cooking time could be reduced by using two sheets. There are two granola recipes that all three of my kids love and this is one of them.

NUTTY, FRUITY GRANOLA

2010-08-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

~ Mindy Strauss

5 c. rolled oats
1 c. slivered almonds
1 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. runny honey
1/4 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. flax seeds
1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Place oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and salt onto sheet and bake for 10 minutes to warm them up. Remove from oven and drizzle honey all over the mixture; stir to coat evenly. Return the pan to oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add the cherries, craisins, raisins, flax seed, & cinnamon. Cool well before storing or it will be soggy, not crunchy.

Notes: I use regular raisins instead of golden ones and skip the parchment paper, as it's not a very sticky recipe and there's no real mess doing it that way.

SMOKED TURKEY SALAD

2010-08-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

~ my own little brain

lettuce
spinach
smoked turkey, cubed
Monterey jack cheese, cubed
nectarines, chopped
raw cashews, toasted

Toast cashews and set aside to cool. Chop the lettuce & spinach; combine in serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over greens and serve.

Notes: Use as much or little of each ingredient as you like.

SUMMERTIME ORZO & CHICKEN

2010-08-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

~ Taste of Home - August/September 2010

3/4 c. uncooked orzo
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, parsley and chicken. Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve warm or cold. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.

Notes: This is a perfect blend of tastes and textures! I cook my chicken in 1-2 T. of olive oil, rather than using cooking spray, which keeps it moist.

ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS

2010-07-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

~ allrecipes

4 c. water
2 c. uncooked white rice
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. ground pork
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 t. minced garlic
14 oz. package firm tofu, drained and cubed
2 carrots, shredded
3 T. hoisin sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1/4 t. hot chile paste
1 head iceberg lettuce leaves, separated

In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, green onions, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add the tofu, carrot, Hoisin, and soy sauce, stirring frequently until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil and chile paste.

To serve, spoon a small amount of rice into each lettuce leaf, top with the stir-fry mixture, and drizzle with additional soy sauce or hoisin, if desired. Wrap the lettuce leaf to enclose the filling.

Notes: So good!! I make the rice in a rice cooker, cooking it while I prepare the meat mixture. I coarsely chop a can of water chestnuts and use it in place of the tofu. Sometimes we chop lettuce and scoop the rice and meat mixture on top, eating it like a salad, rather than a wrap. Other times we serve the meat, rice, and a green salad all separately. This is not a spicy dish, so if you like extra heat, then add more chile paste.

SMOKED SAUSAGE SKILLET

2010-07-04T00:31:00.000-07:00

~ Tiffany/Eat At Home & Sonlight Forums

20 oz. package smoked sausage links, sliced in 1/2 in. rounds
1 T. butter or oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t. . Italian seasoning
3 c. sweet potato, peeled and diced in 1-inch cubes
2 c. chicken broth
3 c. green beans

In a large skillet, heat sausage over medium heat until slightly brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausages to a plate. Heat butter or oil in the skillet and add the onion. Cook on medium-low heat until translucent. Add the chopped garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for two more minutes, being careful not to let the garlic brown.

Add the sweet potatoes and chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the grean beans, turn the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the potatoes are done cooking. Stir sausage back in and serve over rice.

Notes: I use a 1 lb. link of sausage and it's more than enough for the dish.

BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE

2010-06-30T07:42:00.001-07:00

1 T. vinegar or lemon juice
milk

Place vinegar or lemon juice in measuring cup, then add enough milk to make one full cup of liquid. Let sit for five minutes before using.

Notes: This substitution is hit and miss, working well in some recipes and while making other recipes not as good as when actual buttermilk is used. Experiment and see what recipes you like it in, as it's a much less expensive option than buttermilk

CREAMY WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

2010-06-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

~ Laura/Laura's Kitchen

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T. oil
2 15 1/2 oz cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
14 1/2 oz. can chicken broth
2 4 oz. cans chopped green chilies
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Notes: Excellent with tortilla chips! I used dried beans that I've previously cooked and frozen.

SNICKERDOODLE MUFFINS

2010-06-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

~ Tiffany/Eat At Home & Sonlight Forums

2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. sugar + 1 t. cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda; set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until moistened. Fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full of batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Notes: I keep a jar of cinnamon sugar in the cupboard at all times, so I skip the topping in this recipe and just use our regular stash. These freeze well.