Yummy By Scratch

enchilada sauce

2011-12-15T08:43:00.000-08:00

3 Tb chili powder
3 Tb flour
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Stirring constantly, add enough of the stock to make a thin paste. Pour into pan and add rest of stock. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in tomato sauce. Makes about 4 cups.
glory to J's cousin Cyndi!

sweet potatos

2011-11-25T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that I used for Thanksgiving (2011), by adapting four or five other recipes and all the typical ingredients ~ so that I could make them in the crock pot (since I had a turkey in my tiny oven already!). Making this was so easy, and I didn't really have to think about it at all. Its pretty sweet, and more of a desert-side -- but yummy!!

5-6 sweet potatoes, skinned & sliced thin
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 Tb vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb orange juice

Melt the butter - and pour it over the sliced sweet potatoes. Combine all the dry ingredients, and then toss with the buttered potatoes. Combine well, and then pour into your crock pot. You can add the OJ & vanilla on top and simmer on high until done. Enjoy!

turkey brine

2011-11-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't roasted a turkey every single year, but this has been my favorite way to season a turkey so far. It was an easy preparation, but you need to have space in your refrigerator to keep the turkey overnight. We turned it into a fun math project too, since Asia calculated & measured the 2 gallons herself (32 cups!) and all the other ingredients too. She basically made the brine herself! Here's the ingredients we used:

2 gallons of water
2 cups apple juice
2 cups salt (kosher is best)
2 cups brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 bay leaves
3 Tb peppercorns
1 Tb rosemary
2 whole peel of oranges, chopped

Bring everything to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Cover and let return to room temp. I also put the brine in the fridge to cool completely before covering the turkey. You can soak the entire turkey in your pot, or in a plastic bag. Let it sit in the brine for 8-24 hours. Its amazing. Before you roast your turkey, you can wash the turkey well, and discard all the brine.

I got this amazing recipe from Pioneer Woman...and its incredible!

spinach pear salad

2011-11-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

spinach greens
red onion, sliced extra thin
pear, thin slices
pomegranate seeds

vinaigrette dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tb honey
3 Tb apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

make separate plates/bowls to serve, only 1 tsp of dressing needed!

honey almond dressing

2011-10-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

almonds - 3/4 cup, whole
olive oil - 10 Tbsp
balsamic vinegar - 1/2 Tbsp
oney - 5 Tbsp

Blend everything in a blender!! Enjoy!

Makes 1 cup total, 16/1 Tbsp servings
1 Tbsp = 133 calories!
glory to my friend Clarisa for this recipe

sprouted salad with sesame dressing

2011-04-26T06:38:00.000-07:00

1 large bunch of sprouts (we used a combo of alfalfa, clover, radish & canola)
1-2 cucumbers, chopped fine
1-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

optional:
1 carrot, quartered & chopped finely
green onions
larger sprouts: mung beans, sprouted lentils, etc

dressing
1 Tb. sesame oil
2Tb. tamari/soy sauce
1 Tb. veg/canola oil
1 Tb. white rice vinegar
2 Tb. sesame seeds, toasted and then crushed
1 garlic clove, crushed

Chop veggies as desired, combine & toss well in a large bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients well, and pour over veggies. Mix well and serve cold! We love this easy to make salad!!
glory to Krissy - she gave me the Indoor Gardening sprout bag for Christmas - and we can't wait for our sprouts to grow quick enough. :)

banana muffins

2010-11-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter/oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup yogurt
3 ripe banana's
chocolate chips

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream the butter & sugar, then add the remaining wet ingredients and mix well. Combine everything into the larger bowl. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Top with some chocolate chips (we sometimes use peanut butter chips!). Bake @ 400F for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

glory to Jeani - one of my favorite people in U-town.

grandma's scones

2010-11-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

These are so easy & fun to make with kiddos! The girls especially love getting to roll out their own treats, and even cutting them into pie pieces. Hope you enjoy this recipe passed on from the grandma of a friend. :)

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt & baking soda well. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Finally stir in the yogurt & egg until moistened. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead well. Divide dough into smaller balls - and pat each into a flat round, about 3/4 inches thick. Cut into 4-6 pieces. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Yum!

Joe's northern bean soup

2010-10-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

2 cup dry beans (Great Northern white beans)
6 cups water
1-2 Tb. cooking oil
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
2-4 cubes beef or chicken bouillon
5-6 cloves garlic
½ - 1 pound fried bacon/ham* (we use beef bacon)
2 stalks of celery, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 small potatoes, diced

Sort and wash beans under cold water. Soak overnight in water (or use canned beans?). Drain off excess water before using. In the bottom of your pot/crock-pot layer oil, onion, garlic & simmer until slightly browned. Add soaked beans & water and simmer for 1½ - 2 hours, until tender. While simmering – add remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until thoroughly cooked. Enjoy with cornbread!! *This soup is also yummy without any meat.

glory to Joe D.
a favorite winter/cold weather/snuggle soup

granola bars

2010-10-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

These are some of the best granola bars I have ever tasted - the recipe was created & tweaked by friends in my city, with items we can find in China. They are so delicious!

2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar (maybe a little less)
dash of nutmeg & cinnamon
2 ½ cups oats
1/3 cup peanuts
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (or 1 cup total of other preferred nuts)
1 cup raisins (or any dried fruit)
1 cup banana chips

Combine honey, peanut butter & brown sugar in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes and stir well. Set aside. Toast the nuts (crushed or chopped) in a skillet, stirring constantly, till you can smell the nutty goodness (about 5 min). In a large bowl - combine oats & nuts well. Microwave your sugary-peanut-honey again for 30 seconds, and stir well. Combine hot sweet syrup with the nuts+oats until coated evenly. Add the raisins & banana chips and stir again. Line a 9x9 baking dish with tin foil (enough to cover the bottom, and and wrap back over the dish). Spray the foil with oil - so you can remove the bars easier. Pat the granola-bar mixture into the baking dish - pressing down into the pan well. Fold the foil back over to prevent burning. Bake @ 350F for 15 minutes. Allow the bars to cool for about 1-2 hours, and then remove from the dish. Cut into bars with a large knife. Store in an airtight container or else you will eat them right away. :)

tortilla soup

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

There are so many ways to make a delicious Tortilla soup - but here are some basic ideas & ingredients that we are able to find easily here. Also, you can make in a pot over the stove, or slowly in a crock pot. Either way - its tasty!!

oil - 2T
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2+ chicken breasts
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
dash taco seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp salt (or more to taste)
2 tomatoes
1 large green pepper, without seeds
celery -3 stalks
2 cups black beans (cooked)
2 carrots
1 cup corn
3 cups+ water
chicken bullion cubes - 1-2
toppings: crispy tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese

In a Crock Pot: Add oil, onions & garlic. Allow to simmer until translucent. Add spices. Place chicken breast on top, add 3 cups boiling water & chicken bullion. Blend tomatoes & green pepper well, then add to the pot. Add all the chopped veggies and the black beans. Simmer on low until chicken falls apart. Top with fave toppings! Enjoy!

mushroom veggie burgers

2010-07-21T04:02:00.003-07:00

Now - don't freak out!! These mushroom patties might not look appetizing in this picture - but they are SO good! See the finished product below! They are SO yummy!!

cashews+walnuts+almonds, chopped (about 1 cup total)
3-4 cups mushrooms, diced
1 med white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup rice, brown or white (cooked)
1 T soy sauce

Your choice of seasonings:
fresh cilantro, chopped
oregano
Italian seasoning
Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper to taste
bread crumbs (if needed to hold things together)

In a large skillet, toast the nuts until slightly browned. Blend the toasted nuts until fine, and set aside. Dice the mushrooms & onions well, and saute in the same skillet until browned, and the water is cooked off. Blend the *mushrooms/onions in a large blender along with the garlic and any seasonings you choose (from above). Combine blended mixture with toasted nuts and rice in a large bowl. Combine well. Add bread crumbs until you can form nice patties without them falling apart. Grill in a skillet (or on your BBQ!!) until toasted brown and enjoy with all your favorite fixings!

*I am sure you could experiment with any extras that you might want to add to this burger - like grilled peppers, chick peas, or any other veggie combo into the blender too.

lentil soup

2010-07-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

1 T butter
2 T oil
1 onion
4-8 cloves garlic
1.5 cups lentils (dry)
6 cups water (about)
1 T salt
3 stalks celery
2 small potatoes
2 carrots
Spices (to taste): curry powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper

Melt butter/oil in your pot, add onions & garlic. Saute until translucent. Add lentils and 3 cups of water. Simmer for about 20 minutes until soft. Add the rest of your ingredients, chopped fine. Simmer until veggies are tender. Puree most of the soup in a blender, but save some to add back for chunky texture. Yum!!
*Lentils are high in protein, iron, fiber and even manganese. Who knew? The fiber in lentils can also lower your cholesterol!

granola

2010-07-07T23:41:00.000-07:00

Mix together:
6 cups oats
1 cup flour
2 cups nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts)
2 cups coconut
¼ cup sunflower seeds/sesame seeds
1 tsp. salt
½ cup nonfat milk
cinnamon (optional)

Mix separately, then add to dry ingredients:
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup oil

Mix everything well until coated evenly, and bake at 225 for about 2 hours. Stir every 20 minutes. Turn off oven and add 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, chopped dates, dried apricots, etc). Cool and enjoy! Store in an airtight container so it stays crunchy. We take this camping too!

pumpkin soup

2010-05-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

I made this soup in a crock pot - in the morning, slow and steady. You can also whip this together faster in a pot on the stove. There are also a TON of variations to the flavor of pumpkin soup - so use some the optional ideas below, depending on your craving!

2 Tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
1 onion, chopped finely
3-6 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 pumpkin (take seeds out, peel & dice) OR about 1 kg (4 cups pumpkin puree)
1-2 med. potatoes (skinned & diced)
1-2 carrots (peeled & diced)
3-4 stalks celery, chopped finely
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
vegetable (or chicken) bullion (2 cubes) with 3-5 cups water (about 1 liter+)
OR 3-5 cups vegetable broth/chicken broth

½ tsp black pepper (to taste)
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup cream (or use half & half)

Optional – spicy alternatives!!
1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
sweet potato, peeled, diced
½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 tsp turmeric
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1-2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp sugar
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped coarsely
sherry!

This was SO EASY to make!! Put butter in the bottom of your crock pot (on the highest setting). Add the onion & garlic while you chop your pumpkin/veggies. Add diced pumpkin, then layer other veggies. Close the lid to allow the ingredients to begin to heat up. Soon add ½ the vegetable broth to allow the veggies to steam well. Turn the heat to low after about 30-40 minutes. Add the rest of your veggie broth with spices, until the veggies are almost covered. Allow everything to simmer for as long as you want – on low heat. I blended about 2/3 of the soup, so there was still a chunky feel to the soup. Return everything to the crock pot – and stir in cream. Add any extra seasonings to taste. Dollop with sour cream/plain yogurt, and/or garnish with fresh parsley, fresh chives, or roasted pumpkin seeds if you have them!
For some extra flare: serve it inside a hollowed out pumpkin, with fresh bread.

Chinese porridge - Congee

2010-05-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

CONGEE (稀饭 xīfàn) - is basically rice cooked in water/chicken broth, eaten for breakfast! There are many variations to how this can be cooked & served - but here is the basic gist:

Combine in a saucepan, and bring to a boil:

1 cup white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped/shredded chicken (some people use tuna/fish)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peanut oil
water as needed

Add:
1 inch of ginger, cut into long thin strips/threads

Optional Toppings:
tuna
ginger, cut in small slivers
2 tsp soy sauce
white pepper
sesame oil
green onion, chopped fine
cilantro

Rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well. Put the rice in a large sauce pan and stir in the salt and oil. Add the water & chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir the rice to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cover (with the cover ajar) and boil gently for about 5 minutes. Cover and reduce the heat to low - simmer, stirring occasionally until the rice is soft (the consistency of porridge). Add ginger. Simmer for about 1 hour. Porridge is ready when the rice is soft with a mushy appearance. Add water if needed. Serves about 6. Ladle the hot porridge into bowls and sprinkle with desired toppings. Serve hot!

Some interesting facts about Congee too: It is always recommended to eat when you are feeling sick (similar to chicken noodle soup). Some of the oldest Chinese imperial records have mentioned it being a health food. It was also eaten most often by the poor, or during times of drought and famine - when food was hard to come by. Legend tells us that during the time of Emperor Yong Zheng (Qing dynasty), a famine broke out. He ordered his officials to serve & distribute Congee to the starving people. Corrupt officials would skimp on the rice and serve watery versions. When the Emperor heard about this, he set a standard that the porridge must be so think that a pair of chopsticks would stand upright! Any officials who failed this standard were beheaded. Congee is also served during funerals - because it is plain and simple, and suits times of grief and mourning.

caramel dip

2010-02-03T23:38:00.000-08:00

This is barely a recipe....but they are easy things to find here in China!

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 t. vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar; whisk for two minutes. Add the cream; whisk another two minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Pour into a jar to store in the fridge for later. It will thicken as it cools! Yum!!

thanksgiving turkey

2009-11-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

This year, we were given a turkey from a local friend! How kind & generous, we thought! Until she delivered the turkey in a white canvas bag...ALIVE!!! Poor little turkey was tied up and docile in his bag. He spent the night in the bathroom (since it was late) and was taken to the butcher the next morning. A Muslim butcher makes the turkey kosher (qing zhen 清真/halal) and able to be shared with Muslim friends. The turkey came back with innards still intact, and a very long neck. I was glad they (at least) took the head & feet. I had to prepare the turkey a bit more than normal, and it needed some work! I think he weighed about 6 kilos total. We baked him in our tiny oven, which was a tight fit - but it worked great!!

Before:
olive oil (enough to rub the entire turkey)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled & crushed
1-2 lemons, sliced & squeezed
celery
chicken broth/water
salt
thyme
sage
oregano

Preheat oven to 450°F. Clean your turkey WELL. Rub entire turkey with olive oil. Stuff cavity with assortment of onion, garlic, celery & lemon slices. Leave remaining things in the roasting pan. Tie drumsticks together if desired. Sprinkle with salt & seasonings. Fill pan with 1-2 cups of chicken broth. Cover with foil. Bake in oven for 2-3 hours @ 350°F on the bottom rack. Make sure the turkey comes to at least 170°F with a meat thermometer stuck in the fleshy part of the thigh. I chose to keep the turkey covered until the last 20 minutes, and flip the turkey over half way through the roasting. I like to think this kept the breasts more moist.

After the turkey is done, you can remove from the roasting pan, and allow to stand 30 minutes before you carve it. With all the juices you can make a delicious gravy!

After:

Turkey gravy:
Pour pan juices through a sieve into a different bowl. You can skim off (and discard) the fat if you prefer. You can use your original roasting pan to make the gravy in, straddling across 2 burners. Melt some butter and stir in flour to make a roux - cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add turkey stock juices, whisking well to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil - and stir well. Season your gravy with salt & pepper - or add cider vinegar to taste.

yellow cake

2009-05-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

¾ cup butter
3 eggs
2 ½ cups flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Grease & flour your pans, then set aside. In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). In a separate mixing bowl beat the butter on med speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add the sugar until well combined. Beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Beat in the vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating on low speed until combined. Pour batter into desired pans/cupcake holders. Bake as directed below:

9 inch round (2): 20-25 min
8 inch round (2): 30-35 min
13x9 pan (1): 25-30 min
Cupcakes: 20-25 minutes

...or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for at least 10 minutes. Remove cake rounds from pans, and cool thoroughly. Frost with your favorite frosting!

mini-bagels

2009-05-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

3.5 cups flour

2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry yeast
2 T maple syrup
1 1/4 cups warm water (80-90 degrees)
canola oil
1 egg white

Optional
sesame seeds or poppy seeds on top
1 tsp cinnamon (added to dry ingredients)

In a large bowl thoroughly mix flour, salt, yeast. Add maple syrup last, and mix well. Gradually add warm water to dry ingredients and mix until combined well. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Add extra flour or water until you have a soft dough (smooth and elastic). Brush dough in oil and place back in your bowl, covered in saran wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, remove from bowl and roll onto a slightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal parts, and roll into balls. Poke a hole with your thumb thru each bagel, and set onto a greased surface (You could also roll into strips, pinch together and form circles). Cover, and allow to rise again (20 min). Bring water to boil in large shallow pan - about 2-3 inches deep of water. Lower heat, and add a few bagels at a time. Simmer for one minute on each side (2 min total). Remove from water and place on a towel to cool. Then place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg white with a dash of cold water. Brush bagels with water/egg mixture (this is when you could add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, etc. on top) and put back in the oven again for another 10-15 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove bagels from baking sheets and cool on wire rack. Yum!!

quiche

2009-04-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

4-5 eggs

1 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
*1/2 cup biscuit/baking mix (becomes the crust)
*1/4 cup butter, melted

Depending on your tastes, you can add:
broccoli flowerets
bacon, cooked & crumbled
cheese, grated (up to 1 cup)
mushrooms, sauteed well
spinach, washed/drained/chopped
onion, chopped & sauteed
bell peppers, sauteed
green onions
fresh parsley, chopped

In a mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Beat the eggs first, then add the rest of your ingredients. Beat until blended. Transfer to a pie plate or glass baking dish. Sprinkle with extra ingredients; lightly press down into batter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10-20 minutes before serving.

*I usually prefer to make my own pie crust, and not include the biscuit/baking mix & butter. This takes a little more time, but I like the taste better.

Italian Stromboli

2009-04-10T03:45:00.000-07:00

A fun sandwich you can make ahead of time for picnics or enjoy hot out of the oven.

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 T yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 T olive oil
2 tsp salt
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour

Fillings (mix & match as you like)
1/2 pound meat (pepperoni, sliced turkey, etc)
1/4 pound grated cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

Optional stuff (must be sliced very thin)
tomatoes
onions, grilled?
bell peppers, grilled?
black/green olives
roasted garlic
fresh basil
spinach, cooked & drained
mushrooms, grilled
tomato sauce, very little tho

1 egg, beaten
sesame seeds/poppy seeds

Combine 1/4 cup warm water with yeast & sugar. Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in remaining water, olive oil and salt. Gradually add flour (1/2 cup at a time) until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until you have a smooth dough that comes away from the bowl. Knead 10 minutes, cover 1 hour until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough down and cut in half. Roll each ball on a floured surface until rectangular in shape (8x10). Arrange desired fillings, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Roll like a jelly-roll, pinch the edges and tuck the ends under. Cut long diagonal slashes (1/2 inch deep) along the top every 2-3 inches. Brush the top of the loaf with egg, sprinkle with seeds. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly before cutting and serving, or eat cold!

soft pretzels

2009-04-03T20:27:00.003-07:00

The pretzel is shaped like someone with their arms folded in prayer! It is a traditional Lenten food in central Europe. The German tribes who invaded Rome called the bracellæ "brezel'" or "prezel." Pretzels are traditionally eaten throughout Lent, and in some places are especially associated with Saint Joseph's Day [March 19] which usually falls within Lent. We love eating them anytime of year!

Combine in a mixing bowl:
1 cup warm water

1.5 Tablespoons active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

Add and beat at least 3 minutes:
1 1/2 cups flour

2 Tbsp soft butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

Stir in 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour and knead until the dough loses its stickiness.

Let the dough rise in a covered greased bowl until it is doubled in bulk (this is called "proofing" the dough). Punch down and divide it into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope and form it into a pretzel shape (kids love this part!). Place the pretzels on a greased baking sheet and let them rise until almost doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 475°F.

In a large non aluminum saucepan, prepare a boiling solution of
4 cups water
5 tsp baking soda

With a slotted spoon, carefully lower the pretzels into the water and boil about 1 minute or until they float to the top. Return them to the greased sheet. Sprinkle them with coarse salt. (Sea salt or Kosher salt.) Bake the pretzels until they are nicely browned, about 10-12 minutes. Pretzels are best when eaten while still warm, but they may be stored in an air tight container for up to a week, or frozen. (Makes twelve 6 inch pretzels, or more smaller ones)

peanut sauce

2009-02-21T04:40:00.001-08:00

I have to give all credit to my husband for attempting this recipe. I didn't know it was so easy, or that we would have all the ingredients, but dang!....this is good! Its amazing over rice, chicken/beef, tofu, noodles, veggies....anything! We doubled the recipe to have some for later. Peanut sauce is typically found in Asian countries (Indonesia, Thailand, China) served over veggies, noodles, or tofu. You can make it spicy, or top with chopped peanuts too. You can thicken it with milk/coconut milk, or stretch with water. Make it to suite your taste-buds. Feel free to tweak this however you see fit!

1/4 cup peanut butter (natural & creamy, no sugar kind)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 T brown sugar (we only added 1 tsp)
1 T fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup coconut milk (lite is fine, if you prefer or substitute water)
1/4 cup water
red chili flake to taste
1 clove crushed garlic

Optional:
sesame oil
curry paste/powder
rice wine vinegar
fish sauce
grated ginger
shallots sauteed til brown in oil

Combine all ingredients with a whisk in a small bowl, adding the water last. Pour into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Experiment with this sauce adding a teaspoon at a time of one the optional additions and tasting as you go. Serve hot or cold. Yum!!

tofu peanut stir fry

2009-02-21T04:37:00.000-08:00

This is a great way to eat tofu for the first time - its a bit crunchy, yet still soft. This is such a quick, inexpensive meal - and tastes great! Prepare all your ingredients first, and then begin to cook. You will need a large wok & lid. Serve over noodles or steamed rice.

1 tsp vegetable oil
your favorite chopped veggies (a wok-ful)
(we used onion, cauliflower, carrots, celery, squash, & cabbage since that was in my fridge)
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
hot water to steam veggies in wok

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cornstarch
salt & pepper to taste
1 block firm tofu, drained and cubed (about 14 oz)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup peanut sauce
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add onions, garlic & ginger first until cooked thru. Season with salt & pepper. Add denser veggies first (carrots, cauliflower, celery), allowing to cook before you add the softer veggies (squash, cabbage, etc) and cook until tender. I sometimes add water during this stage to help the veggies "steam" in the wok. The water cooks off. You don't want to over cook the cabbage, while waiting for the carrots to get tender. Remove vegetables from skillet, and set aside.

Whisk eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt & pepper. Dip tofu cubes first in the egg, then the cornstarch mixture to coat. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet or wok over medium heat, and cook the coated tofu 5-8 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the peanut sauce and peanuts. Continue to cook and stir until sauce has thickened and tofu is well-coated.

Top rice with veggies, tofu and extra peanut sauce.

pastry crust

2008-10-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (or butter), not melted
1 tsp salt
1 egg,
5 Tb water
1 Tb vinegar

Combine dry ingredients first, then add shortening/butter with a fork. All this is much easier in a food processor, if you have one. Mix until it resembles coarse meal (15 seconds in the FP). Add the egg, water & vinegar until the dough holds together when pinched. If necessary add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather in a ball. This is enough for 3 single crusts, so you can divide into 3 balls, and wrap for later. The easiest thing to do is flatten them into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour. You can also freeze them for later too.

After chilling, place on a lightly floured surface and roll into a ball. Continue lifting as you roll to prevent sticking. Roll from the center outwards. Fold the flattened crust in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch pie dish. Finish the edges as you desire!

pumpkin puree

2008-10-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

To make your own Pumpkin Puree
Choose a nice pumpkin from your local pumpkin patch, or grow your own!! *Sugar Pie, Baby Bear or Cheese Pumpkins work the best for making fresh puree. A 5-7 pound pumpkin will make 2 pies easily. Wash your pumpkin and cut in half (lengthwise). Remove all the seeds & stringy fibers with a spoon or canning lid. Place face down on a baking sheet with a lip (add about 1/2 cup water). Bake at 350F (177C) for 45-75 minutes (depending on the size) until it can be easily pierced with a knife/fork. Remove from the oven and cool long enough so that you can scoop out the pumpkin flesh without burning yourself OR remove skin with a knife while still on the baking sheet. Blend in a blender or food processor until very smooth. We like to strain the excess liquid with a cheesecloth or collander. Freeze or can for future use, or use right away!

pumpkin pie

2008-10-28T02:30:00.000-07:00

2 cups pumpkin puree OR 1 (15 ounce) canned pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk OR heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
OR 2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 450F. Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Place unbaked pie on a large baking sheet/pan to catch any spills. Bake 15 minutes at this temperature, in the bottom 1/3 of your oven.

Reduce oven temp to 350F and continue baking 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!! Top with whipped topping.

Makes one 9-inch pie!

*Optional
Include a pecan & gingersnap layer in your crust!!
1/4 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 cup gingersnap cookies, crushed

Toast the pecans, and process them until finely ground. Process the cookies, and combine. Press the mixture evenly on the bottom of the pie crust before you add the pie filling. Try it sometime!

hamburgers

2008-07-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe that I have watched my dad make for years, and he learned it from his grandma "Ma" so its been passed on for awhile now! I still think his burgers are the best!!

1 pound ground beef (you can also use turkey, etc.)
onion, chopped fine
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
mushrooms, chopped fine
1 egg
spices (rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, as desired)
bread crumbs
Optional: chopped cilantro

Makes 4-6 burgers, depending on the size of your bread/bun.
Saute the chopped onion, garlic & mushroom. Add to your ground beef in a large bowl, along with the egg. Add your mixture of spices to please your taste, and mix well. Then add bread crumbs to thicken and soak up any runny egg. Form your patties and cook to your preference. You may sear in a pan and fry, or barbecue over a fire. As great grandma Ma would say, "Nuthin' to it!"

You can also use the same mixture to make meatballs. These can be added to spaghetti, stroganoff, etc. Another option is to make a larger batch, and cover it with the sauce of your choice and bake for meatloaf.
glory to my Dad, and generations past....

chocolate cake/cupcakes

2008-06-25T03:42:00.000-07:00

A fluffy & moist chocolate cake mix! (pictured below as cupcakes with peanut butter frosting)

2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening

To make the cake, add:

1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Make the cake mix by combining the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Using an electric mixer or a food processor, blend in the shortening until no lumps remain. (Using the mixer on this makes a dusty cocoa mess, so its easier if you have a food procesor!) This is the dry cake mix part, and you can store it in an air-tight container for several months. Finish making the cake by adding the water, oil, and eggs to the cake mix in a large bowl. Mix on low speed until moistened, and then beat on medium for about 2 minutes. Pour batter into greased and floured pans (one 9x13-inch pan, two 9-inch round cake pans, or about 24 cupcakes) and bake at 350 degrees.

9x13-inch pan: 35-38 minutes
9-inch cake pans: 30-33 minutes
cupcakes: 19-22 minutes

Frosting

2 cups white sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 tsp vanilla extract

Make frosting by combining frosting ingredients in a sauce pan and heating over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and then boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat frosting on high until it starts to thicken to a frosting consistency. The frosting will continue to thicken as it cools, so don't beat it too long. Once it is spreadable, spread half of the frosting over the first layer of the cooled cake, working quickly. Place the second piece of cake on top and insert a few toothpicks if desired, to keep the cake layers from shifting. Finish frosting the cake. If your frosting is too thick, add milk.

jiaozi OR guotie = potstickers

2008-06-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

I can't say enough good things about these delicious nuggets. They are perfect. Thanks to Shu dajie (big sister) for teaching us how to make this famous Chinese dish! You can obviously change the amounts, meat/veggies, and even substitute anything you may not care for. There are many kinds of Jiaozi in the world yet to be created! ....but plan on spending 3-4 hours with some friends!

Main Ingredients:
6 chicken* breasts, ground or chopped fine
green onions, 1 bunch
spinach, 1 med bunch
cilantro, 1 bunch
6-8 large white mushrooms
1 small eggplant, peeled
baby cabbage*, 1/2 bunch
garlic, to taste (1-2 cloves minced)
1-2 T fresh ginger, minced

Flavorings:
3/4 cup oil (1/2 cup vegetable, 1/4 cup sesame oil)
2 T salt
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 T Hua jiao fen* (spicy peppercorn powder)
1/5 tsp chicken bullion powder

Extra Items Needed:
200+ round Jiaozi wraps*
oil for frying
large wok with lid
basting brush
water
chopsticks
soy sauce for dipping

Preparation (1.5 hours)
Chop all your main ingredients finely (see pict above), and mix together in a large mixing bowl. Add flavorings, and continue to mix well. You can cut back on oil if you desire. This mixture should smell really great. Put a small dab of stuffing into the center of the wrap, and pinch the top together. There are many ways to close the wraps, so watch this funny video if you want to see some action and great demonstration., or you can watch us "in action" too. Lay your Jiaozi on a large board before you fly/steam.

Frying (1.5 hours)
Heat small amount of oil in the bottom of your wok until hot. Place Jiaozi (about 15) neatly in the wok, on one side. Fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Flip each Jiaozi, and splash with water from a basting brush 10-15 times. Cover immediately, and steam for 4+ minutes until done. The water keeps them from getting too dried out. Serve warm with soy sauce for dipping.

Steaming (1+ hours)
You will need a large steamer, with 1-2 levels of steaming layers. Steam Jiaozi for 12-15 minutes, depending on the type of meat you use.

Happy wrapping & devouring!

*if you use beef, lamb or pork - you will need to cook the Jiaozi longer to make sure the meat is cooked thru.
glory to Shu dajie, a wonderful woman & joyful friend

dumplings over soup/stew

2008-05-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

2 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 T butter
1 cup milk

Mix flour, salt & baking powder in a bowl. Bring butter & milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add milk mixture to your dry ingredients and stir with a fork or knead by hand 2-3 times until mixture comes together. Divide dough into 14-16 puffy dumplings, and roll into a rough ball. Gently lay the formed dumplings on the surface of your stew or soup. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. They are rich & fluffy when done! Serve immediately.

chicken salad

2008-04-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

Simple chicken salad - perfect for sandwiches, picnics, etc.

1 cup mayonnaise (or more if you like it creamier)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 T lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon celery salt

2-3 chicken breasts, diced/shredded (boiled 20 min or use leftovers)
2 celery stalks, sliced small
1/4 cup chopped onion

optional:
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup cashews or almonds, chopped
1 tsp dill seed or tarragon
1-2 T fresh parsley, chopped
green onion, chopped fine
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Whisk together first 6 ingredients until combined. Then add chicken, celery, onion and other ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken mixture and stir until evenly combined. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve as sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, etc.

veggie stir fry

2008-04-15T02:56:00.000-07:00

olive/vegetable oil to taste (1/3 cup?)
1/2 onion, sliced or diced
4-6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 carrot (peeled, cut into thin strips)
1 head broccoli, cut into small flowerets
1 squash, sliced into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 head cabbage
soy sauce - a few splashes to taste (3-6 T maybe?)
(other veggies ideas: zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, green peas, snow peas, water chestnuts, cashews, tomatoes, green/red bell pepper, baby corn, etc. The ideas are endless!)

Heat oil in large wok until hot. Add onions & garlic - stir until cooked well*. Add carrots and stir continuously, for about 5-10 minutes (until almost cooked thru). Add broccoli & squash, stirring well. Splash with soy sauce & mix again. Add water and stir some more. This is called a STIR fry, so it includes lots of stirring! Cover with lid and steam 1-2 minutes. Add cabbage towards the end, with 1 minute to spare. We like our veggies cooked but still firm (not soggy). You can steam (& stir) longer if you like. Serve over rice!

*If you must add meat to this concoction - you can insert here. Chicken, shrimp, and even beef will compliment this dish nicely. I think grilled salmon would be a-mazing with this dish! Maybe a teriyaki salmon fillet. Yum!!

play dough

2008-04-15T02:23:00.000-07:00

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 T oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
food coloring
scented peppermint oil or koolaid drink packet (makes it smell great!)

Mix the above items in a pan, then heat on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes thick and forms a gooey ball. Cool on waxed paper. Knead desired food coloring into the dough when cool enough to handle. Store in a seal-able bag. Dough will remain elastic for a few weeks if stored well. This is a great 4-year old afternoon activity. Add cookie cutters, slicing-ma-jiggers for pure fun.
glory to Sonlight Pre-K Curriculum, and the amazing ideas within!

spicy* chicken & squash sautee

2008-03-22T02:32:00.000-07:00

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 T salt (or more to taste)
2 chicken breasts, cubed
6-10 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 onion, chopped or sliced
2 tomatoes, diced small
2 large squash, sliced thin
1/2 cup+ boiling water
*Optional: 1 green pepper, chopped (remove seeds, unless you like the extra spicy kick)

Heat oil in a large wok until very hot. Add salt before adding diced chicken. Sautee chicken until cooked thru, then add garlic & onions. Cook on med-high heat 5 min. Add diced tomatoes and simmer until cooked down into a tomato sauce. Add water (and some salt) if you want more sauce. Taste the broth to get the right saltiness, before you finally add squash & green peppers to simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until tender. We sometimes let the chicken simmer longer to make it tender. This is easy to prepare quickly - and can be altered for spiciness, and stretched for visitors! We serve it over white rice.
glory to Zoram - who whipped this up with the random stuff in my fridge.

EZ pizza dough

2008-03-08T00:51:00.000-08:00

Makes enough for two med sized pizzas. Double it if you want extra dough!

3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
seasonings: black pepper, sage, basil, etc (to taste)

Stir dry ingredients, including yeast. Add water and olive oil and combine well. Knead everything into a ball. Lightly oil the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise 1-2 hours. It should double in size. Later dump onto a floured counter, and divide into balls for your pizzas. Roll out to your desired thickness and place on a baking sheet that is sprinkled with cornmeal. Add toppings and bake for about 10-15 minutes until crisp & blistered.

pancakes

2008-03-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

2 cups flour
2 T sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1.5 c milk
1/4 cup oil/melted shortening

Optional: cinnamon, dash of lemon juice, chocolate chips, banana chunks, blueberries, raisins!

Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. Beat eggs, and add milk & oil in separate bowl. Combine and mix well. If more milk is needed - add some more until you get the right consistency. We usually add 1/4-1/2 cup more! Do no beat, but just stir until combined well. Cook on a hot griddle, flipping when bubbly. Makes about 15 3-inch pancakes. If you can perfect this recipe, you might earn the title of "Pancake King" like Justin holds in our home. :)

You can easily morph this recipe into waffles by separating the egg yolks/whites - keeping the yolks with the milk mixture. Beat the egg whites and fold in at the end. :)
glory to Wyc International Cookbook, and a few tips from Poppa Joe!

cinnamon graham squares - whole wheat!

2008-02-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

Sweetened with honey & brown sugar and packed with whole wheat flour, these squares are a healthy & filling snack. They are also quite inexpensive to make, and great for kids. I would love to add chocolate to them tho, or bananas......

6 c whole wheat flour (you can substitute also)
1 1/2 c oatmeal
1 c brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
3 T cinnamon
3/4 c honey
1 1/2 c oil (Canola is great)
1 cup cold water

This recipe is large, so you can half it if you want.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine honey, oil, and water in a separate bowl. Mix well, then add to dry ingredients and stir until mixture forms a thick, crumbly dough. Grease two 10×15 baking pans and let your kids "mash" the dough into each pan. You can't really go wrong as you press the dough flat. Using a butter knife, pre-cut your squares. Bake for 13-18 min at 400 degrees F - until lightyl browned. Cool pans on wire racks, re-slice, and store in an air-tight container. You can also freeze for later.
glory to Tammy @ www.tammysrecipes.com

Yuanxiao Dumplings

2008-02-21T07:16:00.000-08:00

No Lantern Festival (元宵节 Yuánxiāo Jié) is complete without some sweet, stuffed dumplings made with "sticky" rice flour (汤圆 tāng yuán). Here is an easy recipe using very few ingredients. You can find all these items in any Asian market, OR you can just buy Yuanxiao there. If you enjoy cooking though - give this a try!

There are so many versions of this treat - and can be filled with countless fillings. Sweet fillings = black sesame paste, tangerine peel, walnuts, black jasmine, white jasmine, peanuts+sugar, & fruity fillings. Savory fillings = meat, vegetables, fish, & red beans.,

Prep time = 15 min, Cook time = 30+ min.
4.5 cups (500 g) sticky rice flour
Water, as needed (4 cups on average?)

7 oz (200 g) butter
7 oz (200 g) black sesame powder*
8 oz (250 g) sugar
1 tsp wine

Put 4 (?) cups water into the sticky rice flour and mix by hand to make the sticky-rice-dough. Shape the dough of the sticky rice into half balls, with a depression for the filling.

Make the filling by heating butter with sesame powder, sugar, and wine. When cooled - make small dime-sized balls and drop into the sticky-rice depressions!! Close the half-ball to form a full round ball. Smooth it out by rolling between your hands. Place in boiling water and cook until they begin to float on the surface. Cook (med heat) for about 30-40 minutes in boiling water. You can serve as a soup (in the water you boiled) or alone. I have also seen them rolled in powdered sugar afterwards.

*If you can't find the black sesame powder, just grind black sesame seeds in a food processor. If you buy fresh black sesame seeds - you can put them on a cookie sheet in the oven on 375 F. Stir a few times while cooking - about 20 min. Then grind until smooth in a blender or food processor.

I have yet to find a Chinese person with a cookbook! Recipes are not really written down, but passed along from mother to daughter, from sister to brother and from friend to friend. They teach each other recipes by cooking the meal together.

honey oatmeal bread

2008-02-21T00:59:00.000-08:00

7.5 oz water, 80 degrees
3 T honey
2 c bread flour
1 c oats, quick or old fashioned
1.5 T dry milk
1.25 tsp salt
1.5 T butter, cut into four pieces
2 tsp active dry yeast

Get out yer handy dandy bread machine. Add water & honey. Add dry ingredients. Tap to settle ingredients, make a small well in the middle for your yeast, with no water poking thru. Place one piece of butter in each corner, and put the yeast in the middle. Set machine for basic. Watch while kneading - if it is crumbly, add water 1 T at a time. If it is sticking to the sides after 5 minutes of kneading, add flour 1 Tbs at a time. Enjoy!!

wheat bread

2008-02-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

A slightly sweet, healthy half-whole-wheat bread

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 T milk
2 T oil
2 T honey
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp dry yeast

*Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm! Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

*OR - add all ingredients (in this order) into a breadmaker.

chicken Cordon Bleu

2008-01-06T07:27:00.000-08:00

6 chicken breasts pounded
1 cube butter (softened)
1/2 tsp. each: garlic powder, oregano, parsley & sage
Monterey jack cheese
Thinly sliced ham (optional) We use beef bacon!
Bread crumbs & Parmesan cheese

Pound chicken with a meat cleaver. Cut cheese into finger size sticks. Mix softened butter with herbs, and spread onto chicken breasts. Top with ham (beef bacon?) and cheese. Roll breasts, tuck in sides (use toothpicks if desired). Refrigerate 4 hours or over night. When ready to bake, roll chicken breasts in melted butter and then in bread crumbs & parmesan cheese. Bake at 400F for 15 min.

Sauce: Mix together over med heat.
1 cup jack cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 green onions
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. sage
1/2 cup wine

Spoon white sauce around chicken rolls and bake 15 more min, or until done.
glory to Geri B - a whiz in the kitchen!

spicy gingerbread

2007-12-27T01:18:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses (microwaved honey with a bit of brown sugar)
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies/shapes 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

sugar cookies & frosting

2007-12-27T00:57:00.000-08:00

Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix butter & sugar, then add eggs & vanilla. Combine dry ingredients & add to creamed butter mixture. Mix well. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface (1/8 inch thick) & cut out with cookie cutters. Place on a lightly sprayed sheet & bake at 375 (190C) degrees for 8-9 minutes, being careful not to overcook. Place on rack to cool. This dough freezes well: just wrap tightly in a plastic freezer bag or saran wrap and thaw until soft & roll-able.

Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
1 T very soft butter
1 or 2 T milk or water (adjust amount for the consistency you want)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
Food coloring if desired

Mix together well & adjust liquid or powdered sugar if necessary.
Spread onto cooled cookies. Enjoy!

glory to Jess, who is way more creative & hospitable than Martha Stewart.

easy as apple pie!

2007-11-21T02:26:00.000-08:00

6 cups green apples, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sugar
1 T butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 great pie crust recipe for a 9-inch single crust pie

Prepare your pastry for a two crust (top & bottom) pie. Wash, peel, core & slice apples; measuring about 6 cups. Combine sugar & cinnamon. If your apples are really tart, you can use more sugar. We like our pie a bit less sweet, but its up to you. Stir apples together with sugar & cinnamon, coating the apples well. Arrange apples in layers in your pastry/pie crust. Dot the top of the apples with small pieces of butter or margarine. Cover with top crust, or weave strips (like above picture). Bake on the lowest rack in preheated oven (450F=230C), for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350F (175C) and bake for 30-35 more minutes. Serve warm or cold!

oatmeal peanut butter choc chip cookies!

2007-11-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour (1/2 white, 1/2 wheat if you prefer)

2 cups rolled oats (oatmeal)

1 cup chocolate chips
Optional: 1/2 cup nuts

Beat peanut butter & butter until creamed together. Mix in sugars, baking powder & soda, eggs & vanilla until combined well. Add flour & oatmeal, and mix again. Add chocolate &/or nuts if you prefer. Drop by tablespoon onto a cookie sheet, and bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!!

apple cake

2007-10-24T00:35:00.001-07:00

Combine:
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups diced, raw apples (500 ml)

Add & mix:
2 cups* sugar (500 ml) (I used 1.5 cups and it was still sweet, you can also substitute some honey for sugar)
2 tsp cinnamon (10 ml)
1/2 cup oil (120 ml)

Add & mix well:
1 cup nuts, optional (250 ml)
2 cups flour (500 ml)
2 tsp baking soda (10 ml)
1 tsp salt (5 ml)
2 tsp vanilla (10 ml)

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan (23x32 cm) 40-50 minutes at 350 F (180 C).
Top with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, whipped cream, powdered sugar or Caramel Topping. Yum!
glory to Wycliffe International cookbook!

wheat bread rolls

2007-10-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

This batch of rolls wasn't as "wheaty" as I would have liked - but wheat flour here in China changes each time I buy it. My next purchase of wheat flour was much darker. Oh well!

1 ¼ cup water (warm)
2 ½ T oil
2 tsp salt
3 T + 1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup wheat flour (I think you can increase this amount & decrease the amount of white flour)
4 cups white flour
2 tsp yeast

Add wet ingredients first, and then sift dry ingredients together, slowly adding to wet mixture - knead well. Or you can add all ingredients (in this order) into a bread machine (on the dough cycle). Remove dough and shape into small oval-sized rolls. Bake at 375F on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes depending on desired crustiness. Makes about 10 rolls.
glory to the Avera girls - Vanessa & Scout

pita bread

2007-10-12T03:04:00.000-07:00

Soft round bread with a pocket inside! Makes 16 pita pockets! (cut in half)1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Combine first 4 ingredients, then add 1 cup flour + yeast. Mix well. Add 2 cups flour and knead into a soft dough. You can also use a bread machine for this step! Then, Oil the top of the dough & cover while it rises for 1 hour (in a warm place). With a knife cut into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. On a floured surface, roll into 7+ inch flat circles (not too thin). Set aside & cover with a towel. They will continue to rise! Bake (1-2 at a time) on a wire rack in the middle of the oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned. You want to take them out before they get too dry/browned. Remove & cover to soften & cool. Cut in half & fill as desired! (fill with any combo of: meat, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, hummus)

Mrouziya (honey spiced lamb)

2007-10-12T01:33:00.000-07:00

2 pounds of lamb, in chunks
2 cups water
2 tsp *Ras El Hanout spice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T smen (aged butter**)
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 cup raisins

Heat oven to 325F. With your hands, coat the lamb with *Ras El Hanout spice. Place spiced lamb in a 5-quart pot (or deep casserole dish) with a lid. Add water, honey & olive oil, **smen and cover well. Bake until the meat falls off the bones (2-4 hours!) You can't hurry this dish!! Transfer the meat into a new dish and keep warm. Place the casserole dish over med-high heat and skim any fat, then add your raisins. Boil until the raisins are fully cooked (10-12 min). Return the lamb to the stew. Boil for about 2 minutes, until heated thru and sauce is thickened. Serve on a shallow platter, garnished with toasted almonds. Serve with extra sauce on the side, along with warm naan bread, and cooked Saffron rice.
Typically served on Eid - the celebration following Ramadan

*Ras El Hanout (spice blend)
The name means "top of the shop" or the best combination of spices/dried roots, ground into one powder. You can also toast each ingredient before grinding for a finer texture. If you have a hard time finding any of these ingredients, try searching for a Middle Eastern market. :) Makes about 1/4 cup.

1 tsp Allspice berries, or 1 1/4 tsp ground Allspice
1 whole Nutmeg, or 2 tsp ground Nutmeg
20 threads Spanish Saffron
2 tsp black Peppercorns, or 1 1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Blade Mace or ground Mace
1 3-inch Cinnamon stick, or 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
2 tsp Cardamom seeds, or 1 1/2 tsp ground Cardamom
2 two-inch dried Ginger, or 2 tsp ground Ginger
2 tsp Salt
1 two-inch peice dried Tumeric, or 1 tsp ground Tumeric

If using whole spices, put all the ingredients in a non-stick pan over med-high heat and toast, stirring constantly until the mixture emits a pleasant aroma (3-5 min). Remove from heat and cool. This first step is not necessary if using commercially ground spices. Using a mortar & pestle or a spice grinder, grind into a find powder. Sift to remove larger chunks and place in a tightly sealed container for later use.

**Smen (aged butter)
This is similar to Asian ghee: a prized flavoring in Central Asian dishes. It is made from clarified butter, dried herbs and salt. It is placed in small earthenware pots in a cool, dry place until it acquires the smell & consistency of Roquefort cheese. Berber farmers in southern Morocco bury a tightly sealed pot of Smen on the day of a daughter's birth, unearthing it years later to flavor couscous on her wedding day. I have heard you should use it within 6 months tho. You can substitute equal parts of butter & olive oil in place of Smen in a recipe if you prefer. Makes 1+1/2 cups.

1 pound unsalted butter
2 tsp dried oregano
1 T sea salt

In a med saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Wrap the oregano leaves in a square of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. Set the sachet in the butter. Simmer until butter turns clear golden, and white sediment settles to the bottom (25-30 min). Skim off foam. Discard the oregano sachet. Strain the butter thru fine muslin/cheesecloth once or twice until clear. Transfer to a sterilized jar. Add the salt & mix well. Let stand in a cool place until the butter becomes pungent, 1-2 weeks. Refrigerate after opening.

mac-n-cheese

2007-10-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

1/2lb small elbow macaroni (or whatever you can find, in our case!)
3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheddar cheese (extra-sharp is our fave)
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
*1/8 tsp nutmeg
*1 clove garlic, crushed & minced
1+ cup milk

*Optional:
I boil broccoli flowerets with the pasta for the final 4-5 minutes, and add to the casserole for a healthy addition. You can also top with bread crumbs, or crumbled crackers for a crunchy top.

Cook your macaroni according to the package directions, and drain. In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients, and mix well. Pour it all into a greased baking dish (8-9 inch). Cover and bake at 325F for 80 minutes. Uncover, stir & return to over for another 20 minutes until macaroni & cheese is thick. Stir again if desired.

If using a crockpot, cook for 4 hours on low.
For stovetop, pour prepared mixture into a large non-stick skillet and cook (covered) on med heat for 20-30 minutes. Reduce heat to med-low until sauce thickens.
glory to Tammy @ Tammy's Recipes, with some minor additions!

zucchini bread

2007-09-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

This bread goes fast in our home! Sometimes its better to double the recipe so you can share with a neighbor, or savor it longer than 1 day!! Hope you enjoy.

3 cups flour
1 tsp of each: salt, baking soda & baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
3 med sized-eggs
1 cup veggie oil
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini, well drained!
Optional: nuts (walnuts or pecans)!

Grease two loaf pans & preheat the oven to 325F. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda/powder & cinnamon. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and mix well. Add grated zucchini and stir well. Pour into loaf pans and bake 45-60 minutes. Test with a toothpick or knife to see if its done. Best when warm, buttered and sipped with tea. :)
glory to my sweet friend Jess.

chicken * soup

2007-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

2 large chicken breasts OR 3 chicken legs, boiled & shredded
3-5 carrots, julienne sliced
1 onion, chopped small
1 squash - sunburst, zucchini (2 if small)
1 T garlic salt OR 2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
3 cloves garlic, diced
6 cups chicken stock (if you have it!)
one of these:
*1/2 pkg egg noodles, 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup barley (soaked), 2 potatoes (skinned & cubed)
optional:
celery (1-2 stalks, chopped)

To create your chicken stock: Boil chicken with onion, garlic and spices for about 45 minutes. Take chicken off bone, cut up vegetables into bite size pieces, put vegetables and *noodles/rice/barley/potatoes into the broth boil 20-30 minutes, put chicken pieces back into broth with veggies. Ready to serve, with bread or biscuits!

glory to Ann, my first mentor at the age of 14

croutons

2007-09-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

6-10 slices of bread, cubed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp garlic salt (optional)
1 tsp dried basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). In large saute pan, melt butter over med heat. Add fresh minced garlic and simmer for 1 minute. Add optional spices, and mix well. Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp & browned. Check frequently to prevent burning. Let cool. Store croutons in a sealed container or ziploc bag. Serve over soups or salads. Yum!!

fudgy brownies

2007-09-21T02:17:00.003-07:00

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small 1/2 T chunks
8 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1.5 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat over to 350F (175C). Butter & flour an 8" square pan. Melt chocolate & butter in a glass bowl, stirring to combine. You can do this by microwaving the butter & chocolate in 20-second increments, stirring in between until fully melted/mixed. Allow the chocolate & butter to cool - about 10 minutes, then add sugar. Add eggs one at a time*. Stir until smooth before adding next egg. Add vanilla & stir lightly. Fold in the flour and salt. Transfer to pan. Bake 35-45 minutes.*
The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is overdone (according to the fudginess of this recipe!). Cool in pan for 15 minutes, or chill in the fridge until they are set. Cut into squares. Yum!!

*Do not vigorously stir at any step, or the batter will incorporate too much air and will not be as fudgy. Aim to combine ingredients well (eggs esp). Fold the flour & salt lightly just until combined.

potato beef stir fry

2007-09-14T03:13:00.000-07:00

Not really sure what to call this creation. I ordered a dish like this on the street months ago, and it tasted SO great. I have no idea how it was made - but this is my feeble attempt to re-create something of similar hue/flavor/combination! If you have a suggestion for a better name - please share!!

1/2 kilo beef (you can use other meats too), cubed
2-3 potatoes (washed, peeled & cut into small cubes)
veggie (2-3 carrots or cauliflower or none at all)
oil - 1/3+ cup
4-6 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1-2 T tomato paste
salt to taste (1/2 tsp?)
hot water

Optional: *onions, extra garlic

Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add meat and fry until cooked thru. Add salt & garlic to flavor. *You can add onions here if desired. Add teriyaki sauce and tomato paste and mix well. Add potatoes, veggies and stir well for 5 minutes. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, and simmer until potatoes are cooked thru. Serve over white/brown rice.

sage turkey burgers

2007-09-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some zesty, quick-fix ground turkey burgers.

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 T finely chopped onion
1.5 tsp rubbed sage
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound ground turkey (your can use chicken or pork too)

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble ground turkey over mixture and combine well. Shape into eight 1/2-inch patties. Refrigerate for 1 hour. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, fry patties for 6-8 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink. I think this would work over the barbecue as well. Hope you enjoy!!
glory to Amy, who is a master in the kitchen!

buttermilk biscuits

2007-09-02T04:25:00.002-07:00

sift together
2 cups flour (white or wheat)
2.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

with a pastry blender or knives/fork, cut in finely:
1/2 cup shortening or butter

add
1 cup buttermilk (1 T vinegar + 1 cup milk)

Stir with a fork to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8-10 times. Roll or pat to desired thickness (about 3/4") then cut into biscuits with round cookie cutter, glass or knife. Place on an ungreased baking sheet all together for soft sided biscuits or
about 1" apart for crusty-sided biscuits. Bake 425F for 12-15 minutes.
glory to Amy, mother of three, living in China too!

flour tortillas

2007-09-02T04:25:00.001-07:00

4 cups flour
2 heaping teaspoons baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 tsp vegetable oil
1.5-2 cups hot water

In a large bowl mix dry ingredients. Mix in oil, stir well. Gradually add hot water and stir...Add enough water to make a soft and warm dough that is not sticky. knead about 1 min. Divide
into 10-15 balls. Let rest 5 min - roll out and cook in pan on med heat. No oil needed in your pan.
glory to Amy: mother of three in China

banana oatmeal choc.chip cookies

2007-09-02T04:24:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter/margarine
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups mashed bananas

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Optional:
cocoa or nuts

Bake 190C (375F) 10-12 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen.

fudgesicles

2007-09-02T04:23:00.002-07:00

1/2 cup sugar
2 T corn starch
3 T cocoa powder
2.5 cups milk

Cook all ingredients over low heat until thickened stirring constantly - then add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 T margarine (optional). Then remove from heat and allow to cool. Then pour into Popsicle molds and freeze! yum!!

chocolate pudding

2007-09-02T04:23:00.001-07:00

1/3 cup sugar
2 T corn starch
2 T cocoa powder
2 cups milk

Optional: 1 tsp vanilla, 1 T margarine

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, and simmer over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Turn off heat and add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 T margarine (optional). Pour into a container (or small cups) and chill. Enjoy with whipped cream or toppings.

no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies

2007-08-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

Boil over med-heat:
1.5 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup butter/margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt

Remove from heat, and add:
3 cups oatmeal
1.5 tsp vanilla
nuts, optional

Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper or spread on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate until hardened & chilled. You can also cut into bars, or eat like a cookie! They are very addicting, and don't require a lot of time.

corn tortilla crepes

2007-08-04T07:19:00.001-07:00

Mix together with a whisk
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 box of corn starch (about 8 oz)
1 tsp salt

To this add
1/4 cup plus 2 T+ corn meal/corn flour
1/4 cup of melted butter

Mix well: keep whisking or the corn starch may thicken too much. Pour a small amount into a hot skillet and cook like a crepe, just a few seconds till it bubbles. Cook both sides about 20-30 seconds each. Use as a tortilla and fill with yummy stuff, even enchilada makings. We've used them for Huevos Rancheros, burritos, etc. They are nice & soft. Freezes well or tasty plain (gluten-free!). Enjoy!!
glory to Aunt Gloreen & her yp.wife

beans!

2007-07-13T06:12:00.000-07:00

This is a very simple way to make your very own beans if you can only find dried beans, or love making things from scratch! It's also a fun activity with young kids, as our girls love to sort & wash the beans, or peel the garlic cloves (I think they like the beans better when they get to help!!).

3-4 cups dried beans, sorted & washed
1-2 T salt
1 onion, chopped fine
6-10 cloves of garlic, chopped
large pressure cooker*
water
Combine all ingredients in the pressure cooker, and fill 2/3 full with water. Cover & seal. Heat over med heat until pressure is reached. Turn down to simmer for 30-40 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pressure to return back to normal. Open pressure cooker & taste your beans to see if they are soft enough. Some beans require longer if they are bigger in size. If so, continue cooking under pressure for 20-30 more minutes until they are soft. You can eat them as is, or use them to make refried beans, use in Huevos Rancheros, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, chili, etc.
*Please read the instructions for your pressure cooker, as each can be very different & sometimes dangerous

corn tortillas - GF

2007-07-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

every recipe I have TRIED to make gluten-free corn tortillas has made me frustrated because they taste plain, crack easily, and require heaps of patience on my part. This recipe was an experiment, but it worked!! Xanthan gum is not very common, but its so important for this recipe! I hope you find some....
2 cups corn flour (masa harina)
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp olive oil
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add water, egg & oil - mix until it becomes a doughy consistency. Form into a ball, and let stand covered for 30 minutes. You can also wrap it in saran wrap, to keep it moist. Then form into 5-8 balls and press individually between wax paper in a tortilla press. Brown each tortilla in a non-stick skillet (about 1 minute on each side) until lightly browned (no oil needed). Enjoy!!

peanut butter balls - GF

2007-07-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter (crunchy or plain)

Optional: (1/4 cup) Rice Krispies, Koala Crunch (chocolate/plain), or any rice-crispy sort of cereal, to add some crunch to the yummy-ness. Also, you could use chocolate for dipping.

Mix powdered milk & honey first. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, and then stir in the peanut butter. Add optional ingredients here. Roll into 1-inch (or smaller) balls, and then roll in powdered milk to make them less sticky. You could dip them in melted chocolate if you wanted a more "candy" type of treat. To do this, just melt chocolate in a double boiler, and dip each ball partly into the chocolate, and chill. Chill the PB balls for at least 30 minutes and enjoy! Our girls would devour these in an hour if we let them. We prefer to savor them.... They are quite filling too. Hope your kids love them too!
glory to Violet McNabb, Justin's grandma - who often made them for him

chicken nuggets - gluten free

2007-06-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

this is Alabama meets Gluten-free meets China....2 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless, cubed or sliced
1/2 cup GF flour
1/3 cup corn meal
1 tsp GF baking powder
1 T sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 T canola oil
Peanut oil for frying

Cut chicken breasts into 1/2-inch pieces or into thin slices. In a shallow bowl, combine GF flour, corn meal, baking powder and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine egg, milk and canola oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stirring until well blended. Heat a large, heavy and deep frying pan (we use a wok) over high heat; adding about 1" peanut oil. When oil is hot (375 degrees F.) reduce heat to medium-high. Roll chicken pieces in batter until completely coated. Carefully fry chicken pieces in oil, a few at a time, turning with tongs (we use chopsticks). When chicken nuggets are nicely browned and cooked through, remove to a paper towel. Repeat until all chicken nuggets are cooked. Serve immediately with ketchup or ranch dressing.

Options: If you have any left-over batter, we have used it to coat squash (in sticks) or carrot medallions. The kids will eat most anything that is deep-fried. :)
glory to www.glutenfreeda.com

ice cream in a bag

2007-06-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is a well-known way to make your own ice cream - without the big machine. The kids love to help too! Your outcome might vary, depending on weather, humidity, etc. Have fun trying out the different flavors and toppings. 1 T sugar
1/2 cup milk or half-n-half or whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla (GF)
6 T rock salt
1 pint-size ziploc/plastic bag
1 gallon-size ziploc/plastic bag
ice cubes - 1-2 trays worth

Fill the larger bag half-full of ice, and then add the rock salt. Seal the bag while you prepare the next smaller bag. Put the milk, vanilla and sugar into the small bag - and then seal it well. Place the small bag inside the larger one and seal again carefully. Shake both bags until mixture is ice cream, only about 5 minutes!! You can eat it right out of the bag, or freeze for later enjoyment!!

You can top with nuts, fresh fruit or any favorite topping. You can also double the recipe, or use other containers to make larger amounts (with any seal-able container). I have heard of people using 1 & 3 pound coffee cans, with resealable lids! You can also improvise and use juice in place of milk for a sorbet!! This is how Justin's grandma makes it, I think with Pineapple juice? You could also add cocoa/chocolate syrup too.
glory to Violet McNabb, 93 and still making it!!

peanut butter cup frosting - gluten free!

2007-06-16T02:36:00.000-07:00

1 cup smooth peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup (about 6) chocolate covered peanut butter cups, crumbled

Beat first 5 ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Frost cake/cupcakes and sprinkle with pb cups. Refrigerate until its time to eat!

chocolate cake - gluten free!

2007-06-16T02:11:00.000-07:00

GF Pantry Chocolate Cake Mix
5 T soft butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp GF vanilla
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease & flour cake pan. Beat butter until fluffy, then add cake mix until crumbly. Add eggs, vanilla & beat again. Beat in buttermilk or yogurt. Spoon into prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Frost & serve! Yields 10 servings. For cupcakes: Fill cupcake holders 3/4 full, and bake for 22-23 minutes. Yum!

Polo - Uyghur rice dish

2007-06-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

this is a staple food in Uyghur culture. Uyghur people usually eat Polo a few times each week.
1/2 cup + vegetable oil
2-3 tsp salt
1 pound beef/lamb, cut into 3-4 chunks
5-8 carrots (orange & yellow), sliced into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
5-8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tomato, diced
3-4 T tomato paste (GF)
3 cups rice, rinsed
3 + cups hot water
Optional
more onion
raisins
dates, chopped

Prepare all your ingredients first. See picture to know how to cut carrots into thin slices. Then, in a large wok, heat oil on med-high heat. When oil is very hot, add 1 tsp salt, and then add the meat to brown. Cover with lid to prevent splattering. Brown on each side for 3-4 minutes. Add onions & garlic, and stir well. Remove meat (set aside) and add thin carrot slices to onions/garlic. Stir well until coated with oil. Cook for 3 minutes, and add tomato, stir well. Cover & stir every 5 minutes. While simmering, cut the meat into bite-sized chunks. After 10 minutes, add 3-4 T tomato paste, 1-2 tsp salt, and the cut-up meat. Simmer for 5 more minutes and add 2 cups of hot water (add optional items here). Stir and spread carrots/meat out in the wok so that the rice can cook in the middle. Add 3 cups rice, patting it down into the wok (not stirring) so that it soaks up the liquid. Add more water (1-2 cups) until rice is almost immersed. Cover and reduce the heat to med-low. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, checking to see if more water needs to be added. After 15 minutes, check the rice, and stir a bit if top remains uncooked. Add water if necessary. Stir rice and enjoy!!
glory to Bilqiz, my amazing teacher!

French toast

2007-06-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

4 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3 T brown sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
12 slices of your favorite bread (cinnamon raisin bread is my fave)
1 T ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl or flat tupperware container, beat the eggs. Add milk, brown sugar, nutmeg & vanilla; stir well to combine. Soak bread (one slice at a time) in the egg mixture until saturated. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Brown bread on both sides, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve hot. Top with fresh cut fruit, syrup and/or maple syrup.

grandma eggs

2007-06-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

This is something my grandma always made for me as a little girl, whenever we went to visit. so forever it has been called, "grandma eggs" even though its a simple egg+toast combo!

1 egg
olive oil
garlic salt
1 slice of toast
butter

First toast the bread, butter and cut into strips, then into bite-sized squares. Put in a bowl. Then, fry the egg, sprinkle with garlic salt, and place it atop the bread. Cut up the egg so the yolk soaks into the toast, and there you have it!! Our girls love it too. You can multiply the recipe, and make more for the entire fam.
glory to my grandma, Irene Webber

sour cream @ home

2007-06-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

We love sour cream. We can’t buy sour cream. What we can’t buy, we make.

Method 1
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon cultured buttermilk

In a double boiler bring the fresh cream up to 180 degrees. Cool to room temp in a cold water bath. Add the buttermilk, cover, and let sit at room temp for 24-48 hours. Stir and refrigerate. The batch will keep approximately 3-4 weeks, refrigerated

Method 2
1 cup cream
1 1/2 cups pasteurized whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl over warm water. Raise the temperature of the mixture (68 degrees to 70 degrees F) and let it stand for 12-24 hours or until it is sufficiently sour and thick enough to cling firmly to a spoon. Keep in the refrigerator until you want to use it. For a richer heavier sour cream combine 2 cups of pasteurized heavy cream with 5 tablespoons of cultured buttermilk and incubate as before

Method 3
1/2 cup COLD real whipping cream (non-sweetened)
1 tsp. white vinegar

Stir together and serve chilled. For better texture refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

bisquit mix

2007-06-03T23:06:00.000-07:00

for 8 cups ready-made mix
2 heaping T + 2 tsp baking powder
1 T + 1 tsp salt
1 T + 1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar (or you can omit the sugar, and add honey when you add wet ingredients later)

to make biscuits, add
1/4 cup oil (per cup of mix)
enough milk to make ingredients moist

Use spoon to make into biscuits. Bake on greased pan at 400F. One cup mix makes about 4 biscuits.
glory to Mari!

apple butter

2007-06-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1 T + 1 tsp vinegar (apple cider vinegar for gluten-free)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves

Combine ingredients in large greased roast pan. Bake at 350F for 60-75 minutes or until thick. Stir every 20 minutes. Yum!
glory to Mari, fellow sugar-free fiend

mandarin orange salad

2007-06-03T05:58:00.000-07:00

1 head leafy lettuce
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions
1 can mandarin oranges
(or 3 fresh mandarins, each wedge cut in half)

Fry till crisp
almonds, chopped or slivered
3 T sugar

Dressing
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
4 T sugar
4 T vinegar
½ cup salad oil
dash red pepper sauce
1 T parsley

Mix all ingredients and chill. Add dressing and enjoy!
glory to Geri B...hospitality queen!

spinach mushroom salad

2007-06-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

1 pound fresh spinach, washed & trimmed
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
¼ pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed & sliced
10 slices of bacon, crisply fried & crumbled (or use turkey bacon)

Dressing
1 cup salad oil
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp worsteshire sauce
1 tsp salt
½ small onion minced

Top with plain/candied nuts. Serves 6
glory to my aunt Sue

chicken curry

2007-06-03T00:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe can be stretched to feed 4-6 people depending on how many veggies you add, and the desired spiciness of your curry. Have fun experimenting with your own flavors, veggies and spices. This is a regular meal in our home!

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive/vegetable oil
1 onion (diced)
5-10 large garlic cloves, diced
ginger (1 whole med-sized root), peeled & diced small
2-4 tomatoes, diced
curry powder (2-4T of your favorite kind) we like MDH!
2-3 chicken breasts, cubed (or you can use beef, lamb, etc)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2-4 potatoes, peeled & cubed
2-4 carrots, peeled & sliced
boiling water
cilantro

Optional
coconut milk, green onions, cauliflower

You will need one large wok for this dish. Prepare all the ingredients ahead of time, and it will go smoothly. This meal requires constant stirring for the first 30 minutes, and then can simmer for another 20-30. Heat the oil in the wok (med-high heat) - then add the onions, garlic & ginger. Stir & simmer for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent/browned. Add tomatoes & simmer 5 minutes. Add curry & salt & simmer. This will create the base for your curry dish. Add chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add potatoes and stir well until coated with curry sauce. Add carrots and stir well again. Add any other veggies of your choice. Simmer for about 5 minutes stirring constantly, and then add water and/or coconut milk until the potatoes are almost immersed in the wok. Simmer (med-low heat) for about 20-30 more minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning. You will know the curry is done if your potatoes are nice and tender. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Enjoy over white rice!
glory to Rinu & Esther, my Indian friends

hot chocolate mix

2007-06-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup coffee creamer
1 tsp salt
5 1/3 cups powdered milk

Optional: 1 tsp cinnamon
Mix together and store in an airtight container. Use ¼ cup and add hot water for each mug. Top with marshmallows or whipped cream and enjoy! Serving size: 12

We usually have to weigh the amounts, since they come in different measurements. If you live in a foreign land, you can also use these measurements too. You will need 726g Powdered Milk, 453g Cocoa, 453g powdered sugar, 170-226g coffee creamer, 1 tsp cinnamon.

Gluten-free pancakes

2007-06-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

1 cup rice flour (or about 2/3 cup rice flour, 1/3 cup soy + corn flours)
1 cup buttermilk (milk with 1.5 T vinegar)
1 T sugar
1 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 T oil
cinnamon, GF vanilla and/or lemon juice to taste

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Add more milk if batter is too thick.
glory to Dorothy, May 07

Gluten-free cake

2007-06-01T10:39:00.002-07:00

GF = gluten free

100 grams sugar (1/2 cup + a little)
100 grams margarine/butter
2 eggs
100 grams tang yuan fen (sticky rice flour) (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup + 1T + 1 tsp + a bit)
1 tsp GF baking powder
any flavoring chosen

cream the sugar & margarine, add egg and then all dry ingredients + flavoring. Pour into greased baking pan. Bake at 177C (350F) for 30 minutes in preheated oven. This makes a good birthday cake. A friend also uses it on top of apples for a hot pudding.

1.5 x recipe =
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
150 g margarine/butter
150 g sticky rice flour (1 1/4 cup + 3T)
1 1/2 tsp GF baking powder
glory to Dorothy! May 07

date bars

2007-06-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Filling
1 pound dates (cut up)
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook in sauce pan stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer 1 min. Puree in blender. Cool.

Crust
1 ½ cup oatmeal
1 ½ cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup butter

Mix ingredients till coarse. Put half in buttered 9x13. Filling on top, then remaining crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 38 minutes.

haroset - Passover side-dish

2007-06-01T10:35:00.001-07:00

8-10 large green apples
10-12 oz chopped pecans, almond and/or walnuts
1 ½ cups sweet wine (red)
1 T cinnamon
4 T sugar

Peel, core & coarsely chop apples. Add nuts, wine, cinnamon & sugar. If sweeter taste is desired, add more sugar. Stir and serve.

da-pan-ji: aka "big plate chicken"

2007-06-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

1 large chicken (cut down the middle, cut tail & head/neck off, cut off feet and wash well inside – then chop into good sized chunks)
½ cup cooking oil
2 T white sugar
3 tsp. salt
3 large potatoes (peeled, washed & quartered)
garlic cloves (10-15 large ones, smashed & chopped in half)
onion (about ½ an onion, cut into long thin slices)
ginger (about 5 long thin strips)
Chinese bark – not sure what name??
dried red chili peppers (13-20, depending on how spicy you want)
bay leaves – about 5-6
2 Chinese spices (wash & drain): Da Xiang – looks like a dried flower (about 10) & Hua Jiao (1½ T)
Cilantro - chopped

Utensils:
Large deep pan (wok) with lid
Spatula/Spoon with long handle
Large bowl/plate to serve

Directions:
Heat oil in the large, deep pan. Add sugar, and stir constantly. Watch the sugar very closely. It will seem to get solid, then turn red & orange. When the sugar begins to bubble almost yellow – add the chicken pieces, while stirring. Stir until coated evenly with the oil/sugar mixture. Add 3 tsp. salt. Fry while stirring for about 15 minutes. Add Chinese spices. Reduce heat to med/high, and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add diced potatoes, and continue to stir. Cook 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Add sliced onion, crushed garlic, and ginger strips. Immediately add 4-5 cups water (till chicken & potatoes are almost covered, depending on your skillet/pan/wok), and stir well. Add Chinese bark. Add 13-20 red chili’s, and 5-6 Bay leaves. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked thru, stirring occasionally. Top with freshly cut cilantro if you’d like.
Serve over wide egg noodles, or over white rice. Yum!!
glory to Adel, May 06

homemade sherbet

2007-05-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

1 ½ cup water, dissolve ½ cup sugar in it (or fructose)
1 ½ cup orange juice
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup crushed pineapple

Mix and freeze till ½ slushy and frozen. That is all – however, if convenient you can beat 1 egg white and blend into partly frozen sherbet. Stir occasionally. You can sweeten more – please your own taste buds!
glory to Grandma Violet

kringla's - Norwegian cookies

2007-05-28T00:38:00.000-07:00

1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)
1 cup sour cream
½ tsp salt
1 T vanilla
1 T baking soda
2 T baking powder
3 cups flour

Mix creams with sugar, first with a spoon - then an egg beater…so that sugar is fairly dissolved. Add vanilla. In separate bowl, combine soda, salt, baking powder & flour. Add combined ingredients to sugar/cream mixture. Cover and let set overnight in fridge. Before rolling, drop each small ball of dough in a bowl of flour to coat lightly. Then roll amount to pencil width and shape like a pretzel. Bake @ 450 for 5 minutes –very important to NOT overbake!!

glory to my mom, and all Norwegian peoples.

scalloped potatoes

2007-05-28T00:35:00.000-07:00

¼ cup chopped onion
2 T butter
2 T flour
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 ¼ cups milk
3 medium sized potatoes (peeled & sliced thinly)

Cook onions in butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper, then add the milk. Cook & stir till bubbly. Remove from heat. Add cheese if desired. Place ½ potatoes in greased 1-quart casserole dish. Use half the sauce to cover, and repeat layering process. Bake covered at 350 for 35 minutes. Serves about 4.
glory to Meagin D.

tuna mac-divine

2007-05-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

1 head broccoli (cut into flowerets & blanched)
8 oz cooked macaroni or pasta
2-3 hard-boiled eggs (sliced)
1 can tuna (in water)

Cheese sauce:
1T butter
1-2T flour
1-2 cups milk
1/2-1 cup grated cheese (of your choice)
salt & pepper to taste
Optional: 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 clove crushed garlic

Blanche the broccoli & set aside. Boil the pasta (you can hard boil the eggs with the pasta too) and drain. For cheese sauce, you will need to make a simple white sauce with cheese. First, melt butter in sauce pan (over med heat), then add the flour. Stir together with a fork until you get a crumbly mixture (called a Roux). Add milk slowly while continuing to stir with your fork. Make sure the flour gets evenly mixed with the milk. It should get thicker as the milk heats up. Add grated cheese to thicken and add flavor (you can add optional garlic here). Add salt & pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Add optional mayonnaise here. Mix cheese sauce with pasta, tuna, eggs - and pour over broccoli in your casserole dish. Top with "French fried onion rings", bread crumbs, or crushed crackers - whatever you can find! Bake for 20+ minutes at 350 degrees.

glory to my mom!

banana tropical punch

2007-05-27T23:45:00.000-07:00

2 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 (12oz) cans of OJ concentrate
1 large can of pineapple juice (46 oz)
½ cup lemon juice
5 ripe bananas

Mix all together in a blender (slushy consistency) and freeze in 6 smaller portions (for later use). Pour 6 quarts (total) of ginger ale over the frozen slush. Optional: add 1 can of pina colada mix, put in blender with ice and water – till crushed/blended.
glory to momma McNabb, the amazing punch we had at our wedding (8.4.01)

buttermilk scones

2007-05-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

2 cups flour
3 T. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1 T. grated orange peel
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp. sugar
Preheat oven to 375º (180C).

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 3 T sugar, baking powder & soda. Add butter; knead with your fingers to form fine crumbs. Stir in cranberries and orange peel (these are optional). Make a deep well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk (buttermilk can be made by mixing 1/2 cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar, and allow to sit for 5 min). Stir with a fork, until the dough holds together.
Pat the dough into a ball and knead on a highly floured board for 5-6 turns. Divide dough into two parts and shape each half into a smooth ball. Flatten each ball slightly into a 5 inch circle, and cut in half. Place the four semi-circles on an un-greased baking sheet, with halves facing each other to form two rounds. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. The scone halves should puff up and touch each other on their cut edges. With a sharp knife, quickly slash a cross ½ inch deep across the top of the scones. Return to oven and bake about 20 minutes longer until golden brown. Enjoy with jam or butter! You can also drizzle with powdered sugar icing (pictured above).
glory to Susan D, one of my fave people

easy applesauce

2007-05-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

8-10 sweet flavored apples
1/2 cup water
cinnamon to taste

Peel, core & slice apples. Add water, and cook in a pressure cooker for 20-30 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat and mash (either with a fork, or blend in a food processor for smoother consistency). Add cinnamon to taste. No sugar needed (though you can add some if you want a sweeter taste)!

maple syrup

2007-05-27T23:19:00.000-07:00

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp maple flavored extract
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine sugars & boiling water in a saucepan over med heat, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes (or until sugars dissolve). let simmer, while stirring for another minute. turn off the heat, and stir in the maple & vanilla extracts. we store the syrup in a container in the fridge for later usage.
glory to Wycliffe cookbook

basic muffins

2007-05-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

1 ¾ cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 ¾ tsp baking powder
1 egg + 1 egg yolk beaten
½ cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond extract
1 cup your choice of fruit
Optional:
cinnamon/nutmeg

Combine first 3 ingredients, then combine the last 5 ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry - mix just until moist. Fold in apples, blueberries, nuts, banana or whatever you want (1 cup)

Sprinkle with crumb topping:
3T flour
3T brown sugar
2T soft butter

Bake at 400 F (190 C) for 15-20 minutes!!

glory to Jen Namba! her muffins always turn out better than mine too!

hummus

2007-05-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

3 cloves garlic – crushed
3 cups cooked garbanzos (soaked overnight with 2T salt, then pressure cooked for 25 min)
2 T tahini/sesame paste
¾-to-1 tsp salt
6 T lemon juice

Optional: (I like all three options!)
cumin or cayenne
parsley or cilantro
2 green onions

Blend in a food processor and enjoy with pita bread!
glory to Kristen McNabb/Ganim, with some extra options

teriyaki marinade

2007-05-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

1 cup soy sauce (or tamari sauce)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 T distilled white vinegar
3 T vegetable oil
1/3 cup dried onion flakes
2 tsp garlic powder
1 minced clove of fresh garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

In a medium bowl, mix the soy sauce, water, OJ, sugars, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, oil, onions, garlic powder, garlic & ginger. Stir together until sugar dissolves. there you have it!

homemade yogurt

2007-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

This is a really great way to make yogurt! There are endless possibilities of flavors, and you can cut back on the sugar too. After your first batch, you just use a tablespoon of your own homemade yogurt as your starter, instead of store-bought.

4 cups water, divided
1 1/2 T plain yogurt with active cultures (this is your starter)
1 3/4 cups dry milk powder

(you can also use 4 cups whole/non-fat/low-fat milk instead of the water & milk powder, its up to you)

Pour 2 cups of water into a sealable container (1 quart), and stir in the starter-yogurt until completely dissolved. Whisk in powdered milk until completely blended. Fill with remaining water, and stir. Close the lid, and set in a warm place for 12-15 hours. You can use your gas oven (turned off), or a heating pad/in a cupboard (around 110 degrees). Refrigerate & chill before serving. Makes about 4 cups!
glory to many who have gone before me: mom, Scout...and the Mirage Restaurant (my starter)
Yogurt is the result of milk that has fermented and coagulated because it's been invaded by friendly bacteria. This is accomplished naturally by keeping the milk at about 110°F for several hours. The end result is a creamy-textured yogurt with an astringent, slightly tart taste. You can flavor with fresh fruit, added sugar, or any creative addition.

whipped cream

2007-05-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp sugar/confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip the cream in a medium bowl, until you get formed peaks. Then add sugar & vanilla. You will need an electric mixer to get the cream to become stiff. Chill until you are ready to use.
great for pies, yogurt pie, topping for pancakes/waffles....so many things!
glory to?? yikes....not sure who taught me this one