Tangy Meatballs

1 c. ketchup
2 t. mustard
1/2 c. water
2 T. finely diced onion
1 clove garlic
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Mix ingredients, then add frozen meatballs.
Cook in crock pot on low for 4 hours.
Serve over rice.

Easy Fresh Lemon Squares

recipe and image from here
My book group met virtually for the second time this week.
Right before I was set to going the Webex meet up, the doorbell rang.
The host had driven to our houses and had her teen son delivered a lemon bar.
Such a fun surprise! And so yummy. I asked for the recipe

Easy Fresh Lemon Squares

Shortbread base

1/2 c. butter* (softened) 

1/4 c. powdered sugar 

1 c. flour 

1 pinch salt

Lemon filling

2 eggs

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 t. baking powder

3 T. lemon juice

1 pinch salt

zest of 1/2-1 lemon (1/2 - 1 T.)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350° (175°). Lightly grease and flour an 8x8 inch (20x20cm) square cake pan or line with parchment paper.

SHORTBREAD BASE

In a medium bowl, beat on medium speed the butter and powdered sugar until combined then add the flour and beat again until a soft dough forms (approximately 1 1/2 minutes). Pat evenly onto the bottom the prepared baking pan. Bake 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.

LEMON FILLING

Meanwhile in a medium bowl, beat together, the eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, fresh lemon juice, pinch of salt and zest. Pour over warm base and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes (until the centre is set, I baked mine for 25 minutes, may need to go a bit longer), Cool in pan, (you can also chill in the fridge for 1 hour for easier cutting), cut into squares and remove from pan, dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Author Notes:

* I always use salted butter, if you use unsalted then increase the salt to 1/4 t.

You may want to refrigerate the Lemon Bars before cutting as it makes cutting the squares easier.

You know when Lemon Bars are done when you gently shake the pan and the filling is set and no longer jiggles. 

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Servings: 16 squares 

Nutrition:  

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Mini Fruit Pizza Cookies

I saw these online and thought they would be a fun version 

of the typical large pizza-sized treat.

image from here

Fruit Pizza

Crust
1 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 3/4 c flour

2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. baking soda

Cream together all ingredients in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Roll the dough out into either 2 9x13 pans or a large rimmed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Filling

1/2 c. sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

2 T. fruit juice

Cream these ingredients together and spread over the baked and cooled crust. Then decorate the pizza with cut up fruit. Strawberries, bananas, kiwi, grapes, peaches, apples, canteloupe, pineapple, etc.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

large version recipe by Jill, other fab cookie recipes here.

Buttery Pull Apart Bundt Bread

A friend decided to start a Facebook cooking page to share dinner ideas 

while we are all home because of the coronavirus. 

It's been fun to get new ideas and see what others are doing.

I tried this bread with the leftover roll dough from our Easter Bunnies*.

We liked it so much that we ate half the night before our Easter dinner.

Adding parmesan and garlic made all the difference.

recipe, beautiful new pan, and image from here!

Buttery Pull Apart Bundt Bread

1 c. warm water
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T. instant yeast (see note for active dry yeast)
1 large egg
1 T. oil
1 t. salt
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (see note for whole wheat)
8 T. butter, melted (I use salted)

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (you can make this by hand, too) add the warm water, sugar, yeast, egg, oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour.

Mix until combined - it's ok if it is a little lumpy. With the mixer running, continue to gradually add flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a ball that is soft but not overly sticky. 

Knead for 2-3 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl, and let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes. It should puff slightly.

Pour half (4 T.) of the melted butter evenly in the bottom of a bundt pan (if you don't have a bundt pan, you can use loaf pans).

On a lightly floured or greased countertop, press or roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, about 12X10 inches. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 24 semi-equal squares.

Grab one square at a time, dip the bottom of the square in the butter in the pan and layer the squares against each other (kind of like a trail of dominoes that has fallen over on each other). See pictures in the post for a visual. All 24 squares should fit in a layer around the bottom of the pan. Lift and rearrange the squares, if needed, to fit them all in.

Cover the bundt pan and let the dough rise until noticeably puffy, 45-60 minutes. After the dough has risen, pour the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over and around the top of the bread.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake the bread for 20-25 min. until golden brown on top and baked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for 5-10 min. before turning out onto a plate or platter (lay the plate upside down over the bundt pan and holding onto both the plate and pan at the same time, flip it over so the bread falls out onto the plate).

Serve warm or at room temperature.

YIELD: 8-10 SERVING

PREP TIME 25 MINUTES
COOK TIME 25 MINUTES
ADDITIONAL TIME 2 HOURS
TOTAL TIME 2 HOURS 50 MINUTES

Notes from website recipe:

Flour: I've successfully made this bread with half whole wheat flour/half all-purpose flour. I haven't tried it with bread flour (should work great) or 100% whole wheat flour.

Cheese + Herbs: I think this bread would adapt VERY well to other flavors. Maybe sprinkle Parmesan or Asiago cheese on the bottom over the butter before layering in the dough? Or some fresh or dried herbs? Yum.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

* Easter Bunnies

We started a tradition long ago of making bunnies out of bread dough to have with our hard boiled eggs for our Easter baskets and breakfast. It started with a Rhodes roll recipe, but now we just make roll dough in our bread maker. Here are some pictures of making them at Jason & Morgan's when we met baby Kinley for the first time in Georgia. We flew to DC and brought Virginia niece Brittany with us on the road trip. Such fun memories.

Rainbow Bowl with Peanut Dressing, Immunity Boosting Soup, Avocado Chocolate Pudding

My friend Cami & I attended a healthy cooking class

at our local Adventist hospital.

It was fantastic, and instructor Emily

shared great recipes, information and tips.

Here is her website if you want to learn more.

All of the recipes were delicious.

I previously posted a coconut avocado chocolate pudding.

It is actually good! Here's a link.

Click on each recipe for a bigger picture.

Chicken Chip Dip, Crescent Rolls

Scott and I went down separately to Texas

to help out when Marshall was born.

Carissa shared a couple recipes I wanted to remember,

so posting here.

Ethan was so happy to hold his little brother,
especially out of a blanket.

Chicken chip dip

2 chicken breasts (frozen or fresh, either is fine) 

Black beans (drain & rinse)

Pinto beans (drain)

Corn (drain)

Diced tomatoes

Packet of ranch seasoning

Packet of taco seasoning

Block of cream cheese

Literally just put all that in a crock pot for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Or I have also done it in the instant pot high pressure for 10 minutes. When it’s done, pull the chicken out and shred it, then add it back in and stir all together. Serve with chips, cheese, sour cream.

Such a sweet picture of Marshall with Riley.

Crescent Rolls

1 T. yeast

1 c. warm water

1/6 c. sugar

1/6 c. melted butter

1-1/4 t. salt

1/3 c. powdered milk

2-3 c. flour

1 egg

Mix, knead, rise and roll out into crescent rolls.

Addison with Marshall.

by Carissa, wife of Barbara's grandson Erik

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Soup

image and recipe from here

I roasted our uncarved Halloween/Thanksgiving pumpkin

for making pumpkin puree to use in soup and smoothies.

Since my guys are not pumpkin fans,

I enjoyed making this  easy soup for myself and a two other couples.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Soup

2 T. olive oil
Onion large 150g
2 cloves garlic
750g pumpkin or butternut squash (abt. 4 cups)
1L stock, chicken or vegetable
1/2 c. peanut butter 135g
1 t. Marmite, Vegemite or soy sauce

Watch the quick recipe video (click on link under image above) before you get started.
Check the notes at the bottom of the recipe for little bits of extra info and help
Skin, deseed and and cube the pumpkin
Heat oil in a large saucepan
Dice the onion, and sauté until soft and fragrant
Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 mins
Add the stock
Simmer for 20 mins until pumpkin is tender
Blitz with a stick blender
Remove 1 c. of the soup, and put in a smaller bowl/pot, 

add the peanut butter, marmite or soy sauce, blitz until well combined
Return to the peanut butter mix to the large pot and stir well
Season to taste
Serve

prep 10 mins
cook 20 min
total 30 mins
author stacey kemeys

yield 2l approx

Notes:
If you are subbing soy sauce for marmite you will need approx. 1 T.
If you need this recipe to be wheat free or gluten free then

instead of marmite or soy sauce, substitute Tamari
You can stir through a little, greek yoghurt, coconut milk or creme fraiche