Mega Crunch Salad with a Bite

image and recipe from here

I picked up this salad one day at Trader Joe's for lunch.
It's always a treat to go there, as it's not close to where we live.
I loved this salad. I made it for our book group and it was enjoy by many.
I'm making it again for our New Year's Eve party tonight.

Mega Crunch Salad with a Bite

1c. chopped carrots
1c. chopped radish
1c. chopped broccoli stalks
1c. chopped jicama
1c. roasted sunflower seeds
1c dried cranberries
1c. adzuki beans (or other red beans)
1c. cooked quinoa
3 c. chopped romaine lettuce

Combine until all ingredients are distributed through the salad.




Cilantro Dressing
2 bunches of cilantro
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 c. lime juice
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. rice vinegar
1 heading T. of chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Add all to a food processor or blender and blend until all combined.

(Notes by Dee: I only use half of the dressing recipe for this salad. Also, I only added 1 t. of chili powder to my half dressing recipe, as I do not like things too spicy.

Spiced Sweet Potato Latkes

recipe and photo from here

I found this recipe on PBS Kids website.

I thought it would fun to try a Hanukkah traditional food.

You can go to the link above, by clicking on here to read the Jewish miracle the Jewish people believe and remember with latkes. We liked the spiced fried grated sweet potato pancakes topped with applesauce and sour cream. It was a new taste and fun to try. I think I'll find a baked version for us to try them again...maybe next year.

Spiced Sweet Potato Latkes

1 lb. (orange) sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 T. flour
2 t. brown sugar
¾ t. cinnamon
½ t. curry powder
½ t. onion powder
½ t. kosher salt
¼ t. nutmeg
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. applesauce
½ c. sour cream
1 T. chopped chives or parsley

Heat the oil to a medium-high heat in a 10 or 12-inch skillet.
Using a colander, strain as much out of the grated sweet potatoes as you can.
In a large bowl, add the sweet potatoes, egg, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, curry powder, onion powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix well.
Form small flat pancakes using about 2 tablespoons of mixture.
Fry four latkes at a time for 1½-2 minutes per side until browned. Remove the latkes from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Serve warm with applesauce and sour cream.
Garnish with chopped chives or parsley.

Prep Time: 15 min(s)
Cook Time: 15 min(s)
Total Time: 30 min(s)
Servings: 6

Southwest soups

recipe and photo from here

We made it soup the other night. It was great with chips.

It's a bit on the hot side for Ian and I,

even though I used mild enchilada sauces.

I think I'll experiment with using just diced tomatoes

instead of Rotel brand with chilies.

I only put in half the chili powder, but will cut that back too.

For everyone who likes a bit of heat, it should be just right!

Chicken Enchilada Chili
2 chicken breasts
2 cups red enchilada sauce
1 cup green enchilada sauce
1 family size (23 oz.) can cream of chicken soup*
1 c. milk
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
2 T. chili powder
1 t. paprika
1 t. salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. sour cream

Toppings:
crunchy tortilla strips
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

In a large slow cooker, add the chicken breasts and both kinds of enchilada sauce. Cook for several hours on high until the chicken is cooked and will shred into the sauce. Add all the remaining soup ingredients, except the sour cream and cook for 1 more hour. Whisk in the sour cream and turn off the heat. Serve in individual bowls and top with tortilla strips, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

*Note from Dee: I substituted my cream of chicken soup made from bean flour. Recipe here.

I added two large cans of enchilada sauce, so maybe it would have been less spicy if I followed the recipe!

::::::::::::::::


This recipe is from my friend Jill. (famous for her cookies)

It's her ''go to" recipe whenever she has to bring dinner

to a family in need, or for a funeral luncheon.

As a mom of seven, it's speedy.

Just dump in a crock pot and heat.

Jill's Soup
1 can Ranch beans
1 can Rotelle (Mexican) tomatoes
1 can chicken
1 pkg. ranch
1 can corn

Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker

image and recipe from here

There was a great price of pork tenderloin, so I bought a large one,

divided it, and found this recipe. We were not disappointed.

It was so easy and so wonderful.

Here's an option for leftover turkey!

Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker
1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 c. water
3/4 c. red wine (substitutes here)
3 T. minced garlic
3 T. soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

Health Food Face-Off

You can click on the image for a closer view.

One day I was trying to remember why steel-cut oats are supposed to be healthier for you than regular rolled oats. I found this fun Food Face-Off page on the Prevention.Com site. I love visuals, so these appealed to me. There are many more to look at. I love to learn the reasons behind doing the things we should do. It's like learning the promised blessings associated with the commandments!Find more here.

Irish Potatoes & Cabbage with Bacon (Colcannon)

image from here

This fall we attended a family history fair.

Along with research information and classes,

there were tastes from around the world. 

We liked the Irish mashed potatoes with bacon.

This is the recipe they sent to us,

though I don't remember it having cabbage.

I also read you can substitute kale for cabbage.

Irish Potatoes & Cabbage with Bacon (Colcannon)

1-1/2 lb. baking potatoes (about 5), peeled, quartered

3 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c. water
3/4 lb. cabbage, shredded (about 4 c.)
2 T. butter
1/2 c. milk, warmed
Salt to taste

Cook potatoes in boiling water in large saucepan 20 min. or until tender.
Meanwhile, cook and stir bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp.
Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
Add onions to reserved drippings; cook and stir 2 min. or until crisp-tender.
Add water; stir to release browned bits from bottom of skillet.
Add cabbage; mix well.
Cover; cook 7 min. or until cabbage is tender and water is cooked off, stirring occasionally.
Drain potatoes; return to pan. Add butter.
Mash potatoes until creamy, gradually adding milk. Add cabbage mixture and bacon; mix well.

Yield: 10 servings, 1/2 c. each

Karen's Amazing Granola

image from here

I have a recipe for granola that I love,

and another friend just asked for, so here it is:

Karen's Amazing Granola

10 c. rolled oats
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. wheat germ
2 c. shredded coconut
2 c. chopped pecans or almonds
1/2 T. salt
4 T. vanilla
1/2 c. water
3/4 c. canola or coconut oil
2 c. honey

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then together. Spread in 2 large shallow pans or cookie sheets. Bake at 250°, rotating and stirring every 30 minutes until almost dry, for about 2 hours. (I turned off the heat and left the pans in the oven to dry overnight and the next day. It may make a difference how the local humidity is.) Cool and store tightly covered, or in the refrigerator. The refrigerator has worked well for me and kept it crunchy! Next time I may add ground flax, etc--You know me! But it's yummy as is!

Note: Steph said she was adding some dried fruit and changing the name from Katie's (Karen's friend) to Karen's Amazing Granola

by Karen, Barbara's daughter

Sandwich ideas

We've been enjoying a lot of garden tomatoes, 

so BLTs are a staple this time of year for us. 

Here is a link to other delicious sounding sandwiches.

Salami, Basil, Tomato and Provolone

Ham, Swiss, Dijon and Chives

Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato

Hummus and Vegetables

Turkey and Cream Cheese with Tomato, Caraway and Sea Salt

I also saw this idea using cucumber as the bread.

The recipe was Laughing Cow brand cheese with turkey.

I tried it with a mozzarella stick and it was great!

Happy Back to School to Karen and all the grandkids!

Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, and Almonds

recipe and image from here

This is a delicious cold salad that I made tonight!

I didn't have sherry vinegar so I used red wine vinegar

and it was very tasty!

Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes, and Almonds

1/2 c. sliced almonds
2 lbs. haricots verts (tiny green beans), trimmed
3 T. sherry vinegar*
2 T. fresh lemon juice
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/3 c. olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 (4-oz.) goat cheese log, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2. Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

3. Whisk together vinegar and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until blended and smooth. Add cherry tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and green beans; toss to coat.

4. Top green bean mixture with crumbled goat cheese and toasted almonds.

*White wine vinegar may be substituted.


by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

Kale with Sweet Corn

recipe and pic from here

Sometimes I post recipes I've tried. Sometimes those I want to try.

I have a lot of kale in the garden right now,

and this sounds yummy with corn and nuts.

Kale with Sweet Corn

1 c. fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) or defrosted frozen corn
1 bunch kale, tough stems and center ribs removed and leaves chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 c. vegetable broth, no-salt-added or low sodium
1/4 c. chopped walnuts and/or slivered raw almonds, very lightly toasted*
1/8 t. black pepper, if desired
2 T. finely chopped scallions

If using fresh corn, boil ears of corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs with a sharp knife. Set aside.

Steam the kale for 10 minutes or until tender. When the kale is done, place in a colander and press to remove excess liquid.

Heat 2 tablespoons water in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes, Add the corn, kale and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and cook until kale and corn are heated through, stirring frequently. Toss in the lightly toasted nuts and season with black pepper if desired. Top with finely chopped scallions.


*toast nuts in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for 3 minutes, stirring frequently

I loved making this freezer jam from strawberries

and rhubarb we grew this year!

There is a link to a recipe for an easy cheesecake

at the bottom of this post using this jam.

I'd like to try it. It makes three 'pies',

 so you could have other flavors for the non-rhubarb fans.

I also made apricot pineapple freezer jam this year.

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam 

3 cups. fresh or frozen, chopped rhubarb into 1/2" - 1"" pieces
1/4 c. water
2 c. chopped strawberries, (do not purée)
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 pkg. (45 gram size=3 T.) No Cook Freezer Jam gelling powder

In a large non-reactive pan, combine the rhubarb and the water.

Over high heat, bring the rhubarb to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered until the rhubarb is tender, about 5 - 7 minutes).

Chill the rhubarb.

In a large bowl, combine the chilled rhubarb and the chopped strawberries.

Gently stir in the sugar and allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes.

Slowly, sprinkle the gelling powder over the mixture,
a little at a time, while continuing to stir for 3 minutes.

Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.

Gently stir again for 1 full minute.

Pour the jam into clean, freezer-safe containers or jars, leaving a 1" headspace.

Seal tightly.

Jam is ready to eat...store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks, or in the freezer for up to one year!

A GREAT RHUBARB JAM WITH "LESS SUGAR"!

Recipe from here. The consistency of this jam makes it most suitable for a topping for toast, bagels, waffles, pancakes, muffins, scones, ice cream, cheesecake, and more!

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Pineapple Coconut Whips

recipe and image from here

We had three weeks of 'heat' for the Northwest. 

These were awesome!

Pineapple Coconut Whips (or Dole Whip Copycat)
5 fl. oz. unsweetened almond milk
5 fl. oz. coconut milk
1⁄2 c. pineapple juice
21⁄2 c. fresh pineapple chunks, frozen
1⁄4 t. stevia (or sweetener of your choice), optional
1 pinch
salt

Add ingredients to blender jar in order listed. Blend on medium mow for 20 seconds then increase speed to medium high (speed 6) for another 30 seconds or until smooth. You may experience cavitation during blending. If so, you can wait until it catches again or stop blending, remove the jar, shake the contents back down to the blade, replace it and continue blending.Transfer pineapple mixture to a large plastic bag and place in freezer for 30-60 minutes. Cut off one tip of bag and pipe into serving dishes.

VARIATIONS

You can replace any or all of the frozen pineapple with another frozen fruit. Some of our favorite combinations are:
Pineapple Strawberry (1 c. of each)
Pineapple Mango (1 c. of each)
Pineapple Blackberry (1 c. of each)
Pineapple Raspberry (1 c. of each)
Strawberry (2 c., omit pineapple juice)

Make a Tropical Whip by omitting almond milk and using 10 fl.oz. of coconut milk.

You may use other milks with this recipe, just know it will change the taste and the texture.

Curried Chicken Pasta Salad

image and recipe from here

I  love it when my friend Joelle makes Curried Chicken Salad.

I looked online and found this recipe by The Pioneer Woman.

I like putting the grapes (halved) into the salad.

Perfect for summer!

Curried Chicken Pasta Salad

3 lbs. chicken, cooked and diced/shredded
6 oz., weight dry pasta, cooked and drained
4 whole ribs celery, thinly sliced - leaves included (use interior ribs)
3⁄4 c. golden raisins
3⁄4 c. slivered almonds
1⁄2 c. mayonnaise
1⁄2 c. sour cream
1 c. heavy cream
3 T. curry powder, more or less to taste
1 T. sugar, more or less to taste
1 t. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Boil chicken to cook. Boil pasta in chicken broth. Dice/shred chicken. Drain pasta.

Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream, curry powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until well combined.

Combine chicken, drained pasta, sliced celery, raisins, and almonds in a large bowl. Pour curry dressing over the top. Fold together with a rubber spatula. Make sure it’s all combined, then add more of whatever it needs. Make sure the sweet/savory balance is right for you! (I like mine a little sweet.)

Chill for several hours. Serve with juicy grapes on the side.

Prep: 30 mins Level: Easy Cook: - Serves: 12

Light Chocolate Cake with Berries

image and recipe from here

I saw this recipe posted by our local farmers market. 

I want to make this. I want to make it for our book group, 

for our anniversary, and every other event.

 Actually, I'd love it if someone made it for me! 

If you give this a try, let me know!

Light Chocolate Cake with Berries

1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. applesauce
3/4 c. vanilla yogurt (you can use Greek yogurt)
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. whole-wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 c. good-quality cocoa powder
3/4 c. milk (I prefer whole, but skim milk will work fine)
1 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 pint fresh strawberries
1/2 pint fresh blackberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
2 big bunches of green or red grapes
1 pint raspberries
1 homemade whipped cream recipe (you can decrease sugar if you prefer)
Store-bought chocolate syrup
1 T. confectioners’ sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prepare (spray or butter and flour) two 8-inch round cake pans.

Warm the coconut oil in microwave for up to 30 seconds; you want it softened or even melted (but not hot to the touch).

Pour coconut oil into stand mixer with paddle attachment.

Add in brown sugar, applesauce, yogurt and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.

With mixer on low, slowly add a third of the dry ingredients into the applesauce mixture, alternating with the milk. Keep alternating until the dry ingredients and milk are gone.

Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in chocolate chips by hand.

Divide batter between two cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 26 minutes or until an inserted toothpick is removed clean. (Cooking times can vary depending on quality of ingredients and weather conditions.)

Cool cakes in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack.

To assemble cake:

Rinse all fruit so that it is shiny and clean.

Prepare whipped cream (and prepare chocolate sauce if you are making from scratch).

Place one cooled layer of cake on cake stand and cover in about 3/4 cup of whipped cream. Place a strawberry that is a about 1 to 1 1/2 inches high in the center of the cake, upside down. This will help the whipped cream to not schmoosh out when you place the next layer on. Now take some of your fruit and spread it around the edges of the cake. Because this is a naked cake, you will want to pay attention to how you place the fruit on the edge.

Once cake is covered in fruit, place next layer of chocolate cake on top. Starting with a bunch of grapes that are still attached to the vine, place grapes on cake and then start building up around them. Fill in with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, and place a few more grapes around to balance the color. Finally, place some strawberries around the edge and maybe even one on top.

Drizzle chocolate sauce over cake and chill until ready to serve. If you want to add confectioners’ sugar, sprinkle immediately before serving.

Jared's BBQ Sauce

image and recipe from here

Here's the BBQ sauce recipe I've been promising you forever. 

I don't use liquid smoke but do add the tamarind paste.

I also add cayenne pepper to spice it up to my liking. 

KC Classic Barbecue Sauce

2 T. American chili powder
1 t. ground black pepper
1 t. table salt
2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. yellow ballpark-style mustard
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. steak sauce
1/4 c. dark molasses
1/4 to 3/4 c. honey (see note below)
1 t. hot sauce
1 c. dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar if that's all you have)
3 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 medium cloves of garlic, crushed or minced

(The link for the recipe below is just under the photo. There is more information on that web page.)

Optional. If you are cooking indoors, or if your meat does not have a lot of smoke flavor, or if you just want more smoke flavor, you can add 1 t. of liquid smoke.

About the vinegar. I like my sauce tart. Trust me, although it may taste tart from the bottle, it is perfect on meat. If you are not big on vinegar, cut it in half.

About the honey. The recipe above is to my taste but I have found that most people like it better if I add another 1/2 cup of honey for a total of 3/4 cups.

About the steak sauce. There are many different brands and they all have different flavor profiles, but what we want here is the meaty depth of savoriness that they call umami, so use whatever you have on hand.

About the hot sauce. A simple sauce like Tabasco is all you need. I like the chipotle flavored version.

About the oil. You may use butter or bacon fat for a bit more flavor, but keep in mind, they can get rancid with time, and they will likely shorten shelf life to about 1 week. Use a bottled vegetable oil and it can keep months.

Secret optional ingredient. Add 2 T. of tamarind paste. This exotic ingredient isn't really that exotic. It shows up on the ingredient lists of a lot of great BBQ sauces. It has a sweet citrusy flavor and really amps up a sauce. If you can't find it in an Indian or Asian grocery, it is available online.


1) In a small bowl, mix the American chili powder, black pepper, and salt. In a large bowl, mix the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, steak sauce, molasses, honey, hot sauce, and brown sugar. Mix them, but you don't have to mix thoroughly.

2) Over medium heat, warm the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and saute until limp and translucent, about 5 minutes. Crush the garlic, add it, and cook for another minute. Add the dry spices and stir for about 2 minutes to extract their oil-soluble flavors. Add the wet ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid off to thicken it a bit.

3) Taste and adjust. Add more of anything that you want a little bit at a time. It may taste a bit vinegary at first, but that will be less obvious when you use it on meat. I recommend you run with my recipe the first time and then you can make it your own. Strain it if you don't want the chunks of onion and garlic. I like leaving them in, they give the sauce a home-made texture. You can use it immediately, but I think it's better when aged overnight. You can store it into clean bottles in the refrigerator for a month or two.

Makes. 6 cups. Click here to calculate how much you need and for tips on saucing strategies.

Takes. 45 minutes even if you take a phone call.

Keeps. Because it has a high acid and sugar content, it can keep for months in the refrigerator.

by Jared, Barbara's son

Zucchini Muffins with Apples and Carrots

image and recipe from here

Here's the best muffin recipe ever!...with fruit and veggies :) 

I may sub coconut oil for the butter next time.

I used fresh whole wheat flour and more carrots 
than zucchini as that's what I had. 

Plus, I had an older, dryer zucchini
and didn't have to use salt to drain it, 

so just added it to the recipe. 
Oh my goodness, it was yummy!!! 

So of course, I'm passing it on. 

Haven't tried it in loaves, 
but it made about 20 muffins. 

Zucchini Bread with Apples and Carrots

2½ c. shredded zucchini (approx 2 large zucchini)
1 t. salt
¾ c. shredded apple (approx 1 medium apple)
¾ c. shredded carrot (approx 1 large carrot)
½ c. melted butter
½ c. honey
½ c. maple syrup
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 c. oat flour*
2 c. whole grain flour (wheat, spelt or combination of the two)
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
3 t. cinnamon
¼ t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 8"x4" loaf pans.

Grate zucchini using a grater or food processor.
Combine zucchini and salt in a large colander and mix well.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Press as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible
while in the colander. Then, using either a salad spinner,
get all the remaining water out of the zucchini.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large bowl. Add honey
and maple syrup and mix well.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Add shredded carrot, apple and zucchini and stir to combine
very well.

In a separate small bowl, mix all the flours, baking soda,
baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and combine well.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and
stir to barely combine, approximately 5 big rounds of the bowl.

Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl and stir
to just barely combine, another 5-7 big rounds of the bowl.

Divide batter evenly between loaf pans and bake for
50-60 min.,or until a knife inserted in the center
comes out clean.


Notes
* To make oat flour, blend rolled oats in a blender until they
are the consistency of flour.

Inspired by Smitten Kitchen

Additional Recipe Tips-
To turn these into muffins instead of bread, measure 1/3 c.
of batterinto muffin tins (go reusable if you can) and bake
for 20-24 minutes,or until the top is golden brown.
If you really want to knock their socks off, consider
adding dried cranberries, raisins or coconut flakes to
the batter. If you’re low on carrots or zucchini,
both are interchangeable so long as you have 3
1/4 cup total. Make these muffins year round by
freezing zucchini now. Shred as normal,
sprinkle with salt and allow to sit.
Wring out excess moisture and store in a freezer bag.
Another genius idea – batter can be frozen uncooked
using this method here.

by Karen, Barbara's daughter

Fresh Mexican Spring Rolls, Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing, Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

image and recipe from here


We tried these recently and they were tasty!
I also have a tomatillo plan in my garden doing well thus far,
so I'm looking forward to using my kefir with them
to make the Cafe Rio copycat dressing below.

Fresh Mexican Spring Rolls

1 lb. chicken breast, approximately 3 chicken breast
1 tablespoon seasoning, (author used Weber Bold Chipotle seasoning)
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 head bib lettuce
1 jalapeno, diced
1 avocado, halved and sliced

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing (see recipe below)

Optional:
1 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
10-12 rice Spring Rolls Skins/Wraps, aka rice paper


Heat grill and season chicken with your choice of seasoning.

Add the chicken to the grill, grill about 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices are running clear and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove chicken from grill, set aside to cool.

Chop up other ingredients and set them aside.

Slice or chop chicken and set in a bowl.

Prepare rolls. Using a dinner sized plate, fill with water. Dip both side of the Spring Rolls Skins in the water, moderately soaking, I press it down in the water. Remove from water and set on counter, it may take a minute or two to soften up.

In the center of the wrap, place one lettuce leaf, 2 red pepper slices, 2 yellow pepper slices, about 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, diced jalapeno if desired, 1 tablespoon black beans if desired and about 1/4 of a cup of chicken.

Roll up the wrapper tightly. To easily do this gently pull up the bottom of the roll and roll over the filling. Then, roll the rest of the wrap over it, tucking in the filling as you go. Just like you do a burrito. Make sure it is tightly wrapped though, makes it easier to eat and keeps all of the ingredients from falling out when you take a bite.

Repeat with remaining ingredients. Place on serving plate, cut the rolls in half and top with left over cilantro and tomatoes if you would like. Serve with Creamy Cilantro Avocado Dressing.

Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator until ready to do so.

image and recipe from here

Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing
⅓ c. fresh lime juice
⅓ extra virgin olive oil
1 c. milk
¼ c. coconut Greek Yogurt
¼ c. mayo
½ avocado
1 jalapeno, seeds & stem removed
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 ¼ c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
½ t. cumin
¼ t. salt


Blend. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. 

It will last 3 days refrigerated.

image and recipe from here

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

1 c. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1⁄2 c. low-fat milk
1 medium tomatillo, husked and halved
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded
1⁄3 c. fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
1⁄2 avocado
1⁄4 t. ground black pepper
2 t. dried parsley
1⁄2 t. sea salt
1⁄2 t. dried dill
1⁄8 t. paprika
1 T. white wine vinegar
1⁄2 t. Worcestershire sauce

Blend. Use within three days.

image and recipe from here

Kefir Ranch Salad Dressing

2 c. kefir (or yogurt)
2 t. dried parsley flakes
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. garlic powder
1 fresh garlic clove, minced
1-2 t. sea salt
¼ t. black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well.
Let sit for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Serve drizzled over a fresh green salad or as a dip for cut vegetables.

Cauliflower Fried Rice, Cream of Baked "Potato" Soup, Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I went to a class sponsored by our gym. 

They taught us how to use cauliflower as replacement for rice, potatoes, pizza dough, etc. 

It was interesting, and tasty. 

Here are three they demo-ed, and we got to taste. 

I made the fried "rice" with shrimp and we all enjoyed it.

Meringue Fruit Shells

I made these sweet little meringue fruit shells

for book group this month.

They were so easy to make up ahead.

To serve, I had dishes of fruit

(fresh pineapple, strawberries, grapes, kiwi,

cantaloupe and blueberries)

so each person could fill it with what they like.

I also had some whipped cream for a topping.

I did pick, sugar and freeze mint leaves for garnish…

but forgot them in the freezer. C'est vie!

The funniest thing about this post,

is that I've had the recipe since 1984 (really, I checked!)

and never made them until now. Give them a try!

Baked Alaska

Kirsten's (Barbara's daughter) family came to visit

Scott's (Barbara's son) family.

Ian enjoyed being with his cousins

(4 of Barbara's 28 grandkids!). 

We had a dinner to celebrate being with family,

and…

McKay's return from his mission in Hungary

Logan's return from his mission in Argentina

Ian's 7th birthday

Lauren's high school graduation,

and acceptance to BYU

[click on image for a larger view]

I've decided just to scan favorite recipes, as ugly as they are.

Maybe someday I'll go in and type everything… !

This is a recipe I had since?? I don't know when. 

This time I substituted a brownie mix for the bottom layer,

made peppermint ice cream from vanilla ice cream

and crushed leftover candy canes,

and saved the six egg yokes to make

our favorite chocolate pudding three times!

Everyone enjoyed the dessert.

We are currently out on the San Juan Islands

enjoying Cheryl (Barbara's daughter)

& John, along with cousin Christian.

Chicken Broccoli Stir-fry with Garlic and Ginger, (plus Easter links)

Here's a recipe from a friend I've not tried yet.

It looks delicious!

Chicken Broccoli Stir-fry with Garlic and Ginger

In a bowl combine and let marinade until room temp (15-20 minutes)

3 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

3 T. red wine, or substitute*
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. sesame oil (Dee comment here: wow, we would do less than 1 t.)
1 ½ c. green onions, chopped
2-3 T. Costco minced garlic (recommended 3 Tbl)
1 ½ t. ginger paste
1 ½ tsp Splenda Sugar Blend, or substitute
1 Tbl Stir-fry Sauce (General Tsao from Trader Joes)
½ a bag or 1 ½ lb. broccoli florets (Costco)
Kosher salt and course ground pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Add 1 T. of corn starch to 1/3 c. cold water and whisk until mixed, add to marinade after it has been at room temp, set aside

In a large frying pan, spray with Pam cooking spray, add broccoli and sauté and add small amount of water to fry/steam until broccoli turn brighter green and is slightly soft/crisp.

In another pan cook marinated chicken, use water to thin as needed. When fully cooked add to cooked broccoli and stir and cook 5 minutes. Add pepper flakes and black pepper while cooking. Serve.


* I found this online for substitutes:

For red wine, try:

• beef or chicken broth/stock
• diluted red wine vinegar
• red grape juice
• tomato juice
• canned mushroom liquid

For white wine, try:

• chicken broth/stock
• vegetable stock
• white grape juice
• ginger ale
• canned mushroom liquid
• diluted white wine or cider vinegar

A great list of substitutions for cooking with various alcoholic ingredients may be found here.

Happy General Conference Weekend everyone!

And Happy Easter! 

Links to prior Easter posts:

Stephanie's Carrot Cake!

Karen's Easter Dinner

Easter Egg Coloring

Blueberry Oatmeal and Flaxseed Muffins

image and recipe from here

I found this recipe on a day I had boiled some whole flax seed to make a tea (a cough remedy). They turned out yummy. I was out of ww flour, so used white. I also subbed kefir for buttermilk.

Blueberry Oatmeal and Flaxseed Muffins

2 c.whole wheat flour
5-1/2 c. rolled oats
1-1/2 c/light brown sugar
2/3 c. plus 1 T. ground flaxseed
4 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
4 t. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1c. neutral oil (vegetable, olive, and coconut are good choices)
2 c. buttermilk
2 c. blueberries (or use other fresh berries, or dried berries)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 standard-sized muffin pans with paper liners. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk and 3/4 cup water. Mix until the dry and wet ingredients are just combined, and then fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the muffins cups, filling each cup right up to the top, and bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before serving. Makes 24 muffins