Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon bread is a highly requested food at our house. Everyone loves it, and the kids like to help make it.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
1 loaf of bread dough
1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon

• Mix and knead the dough, let raise for an hour, and punch it down.
• Grease a rectangular bread pan with shortening.
• Spread the dough into a large rectangle, about 9x13 inches, on a lightly floured board.
• Sprinkle the dough with brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Starting on the short end of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam together. Fold the two ends under and pinch to stick those seams together as well.
• Place the dough in the pan, brush with oil or butter, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let raise for about an hour.
• Bake at 375* for 30-35 minutes.
• Remove from the pan, brush with oil or butter, and cool on a rack.

Potato Soup

Potato Soup with Baked Potato Toppings

The fall weather has put me in the mood for soup. Potato soup gets a 4 out of 6 "something good" rating. With the toppings, this soup tastes like a loaded baked potato in a cup. Yummy!

Potato Soup
1 lb of bacon, cut into pieces
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup flour
5 cups chicken broth
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
dash Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper (to taste)
Toppings: cheese, sour cream, chives

• Fry the bacon in a pot over medium heat until crispy.
• Remove the bacon and set aside.
• Drain off all but 2-3 Tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
• Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the broth slowly, stirring to avoid clumping.
• Add the potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Simmer until soup is thickened and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Serve with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives.

Notes: You could skip the bacon and use butter or oil, but bacon just makes it better.

Grape Bread

Bread that looks like a bunch of grapes

This bread doesn't taste like grapes--it just looks like a bunch of grapes. Grape bread gets a 6 for 6 "something good" rating. It's fun to pick the little grapes and eat them. I've made it a number of times, but it wasn't until today that I managed a picture before all the little hands started reaching for a snack.

Grape Bread
1 loaf of bread dough
Olive oil

• Mix and knead the dough, let it raise for 1 hour, and punch it down.
• Preheat the oven to 400*.
• Pinch off small pieces of bread and shape them into balls by pulling the dough down and pinching it on the bottom. You can add a rectangular piece for the vine if you want.
• As you make the balls, place them on a greased cookie sheet in a triangular pattern to look like a bunch of grapes. Add a few balls on top of the bunch to give more depth.
• Brush the bunch of grapes with oil.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tops of the grapes are lightly browned.
• Remove grapes to a cooling rack and brush lightly with oil.
• Serve plain or with grape jelly.

Notes: I use my basic bread recipe for grape bread, but any recipe would work, even thawed frozen dough.

The little guy sneaking a grape

Quince Jam

Quinces

I'm writing while the jam is cooking, so I can't give a something good rating yet. Even if none of us like it, I wanted to post on it because I had never seen a quince until about a week ago when a friend gave me a bag of them. They look a little bit like a pear but shorter. When raw, quinces are very hard and tart, but they soften when cooked. They also are supposed to turn rosy colored when cooked (still waiting to find out if that will happen). Surprisingly, there are a lot of recipes out there using this unusual fruit. I decided to make jam with mine. My friendly fellow kitchen experimenting neighbor, Jen, also received the gift of quinces and also planned on making jam--great for me because she did hers first, so I was able to change my ratios based on how hers turned out. I looked at about five different recipes, and this is what I came up with.

Quince Jam
6 cups chopped quinces
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• Wash the quinces to remove any dirt and the fuzzy layer on the peel.
• Remove the cores, and chop into small pieces (I used the food processor).
• Add the lemon juice as you go to prevent over browning.
• In a large pot, heat the water. 
• Add the chopped quinces, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, and bring to a boil.
• Simmer until rosy and thickened (mine took over an hour and was sort of orange).
• Puree with a blender to smooth out any large pieces.
• Transfer jam into sterilized jars, wipe the rims, put on the lids and rings, water bath for 10 minutes.

Bread with Quince Jam

 The little guy and I like the quince jam. No one else would give it a try. The whole house smelled like potpourri while it was cooking. Definitely something interesting. :)

Sandwich Bread

White Sandwich Bread

My sandwich bread recipe is similar to my basic bread recipe, just a few minor changes. I like shortening or butter instead of the oil. Using a glass pan gives a softer crust. I also let it raise a little longer.

White Sandwich Bread
2 1/2 cups flour, divided
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter or shortening
7 oz. warm water

• In a medium bowl mix 2 cups of flour, yeast, salt, and sugar.
• Add the butter and water and stir for one minute.
• Stir in 1/2 cups flour or as much as needed form a ball of dough.
• Knead for 5 minutes using more flour to keep from sticking.
• Shape the dough into a ball and let it raise for 1 1/2 hours in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap.
• Punch down the dough and spread it into a rectangle about 9x13 inches.
• Starting on the short end of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam together. Fold the two ends under and pinch to stick those seams together as well.
• Place the dough log into a greased loaf pan seam side down, cover with plastic, and let raise for 1 hour or until the dough is over the top of the pan.
• Brush with oil and bake for 30-35 minutes at 375*. 
• Remove from the pan, brush with oil or melted butter, and cool on a rack.

Notes: If using salted butter, use a little less salt. You can knead by hand or use a stand mixer. If using a packet of yeast, double the recipe and use the whole packet.

Applesauce

Homemade Applesauce

Our neighbors generously let us pick the apples from the the trees in their backyard. This year was an excellent year for apples, so I made gallons of applesauce. I have used a Foley food mill for applesauce, but a couple years ago I switched to the food strainer attachment on my KitchenAid mixer. It makes quick work of the apples, pouring the sauce into a bowl and pushing the peels and cores out into the garbage, almost like magic. So, yes, this is my magical applesauce. The kids didn't always like homemade applesauce, but now they do. Some like a little raw sugar sprinkled on when serving. Others of us enjoy it straight up.

Applesauce
Apples
Water or apple juice

• Wash the apples.
• Chop the apples (peels, cores, and all) into pieces, removing any bad spots.
• Place chopped apples in a large thick bottomed pot.
• Add water or apple juice (about 2 cups per large pot of apples).
• Cook at medium high heat until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally.
• Process with a Foley food mill or KitchenAid mixer with food grinder/strainer attachment.
• Serve, freeze, or can.

Notes:  Check out www.pickyourown.org for really thorough, step-by-step instructions with great pictures. I use that website frequently for canning, freezing, making jam or salsa or just about anything to do with preserving produce.

Potato Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

Potato pancakes get a 3 out of 6 "something good" rating in our house. Matt likes them with maple syrup. The little guy likes them with ketchup. I like them with apple butter.This recipe is a combination my mom's recipe and a recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook.

Potato Pancakes
1/4 cup onion, chopped
4 potatoes, chopped
3 eggs
1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
dash of nutmeg
Vegetable oil

• Add the onion to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
• Add the potatoes and pulse until almost pureed (it really depends what kind of texture you like). 
• Transfer potatoes and onions to a medium bowl (I like to use my 4 cup measuring cup).
• Add eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until combined.
• Heat a cast iron skillet or a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil.
• Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and flatten to make a pancake. Repeat to fill your pan (I can fit 3 pancakes comfortably in my cast iron skillet).
• Fry 1.5 to 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through.
• Repeat with remaining batter. Be sure to stir the batter before scooping and add 1/2 Tablespoon of oil to your pan before each new batch of pancakes.
• Serve hot with maple syrup, apple butter, or ketchup.

Notes: If you don't have a food processor, you could use a blender or box grater.

White Cutout Cookies

Lego head cookies

White Cutouts

The recipe I use for white cutout cookies was given to my mom by a grade school friend's mom many years ago. The sour cream keeps them soft. So, not dairy-free, but very tasty.

White Cutouts
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups flour

• Cream the shortening and sugar.
• Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix well.
• Add baking soda and salt to the first cup of flour and mix with the other ingredients.
• Then gradually add the last four cups of flour.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Roll out and bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes.

Notes: I usually use a powdered sugar, vanilla, and water frosting.

Directions for Lego cookies: To make the Lego heads, I used a round cookie cutter, then trimmed the curved edges of the cookies with a bench scraper to make the sides flat but the corners rounded. Next I added a little rectangle on top. After baking, I frosted with yellow, and piped on the black with a zip bag-- (just cut a tiny triangle off the corner of the zip bag to make it into a piping bag).

Click here for Gingerbread Cutouts.

Quesadillas

Ham and Cheddar Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a staple at our house. One of the best things about them is that they can be made to each person's specifications: plain cheese, cheese and ham, cheese and beans, cheese and steak, and, my personal favorite, the pizzadilla with mozzarella and pizza sauce.

Quesadillas
Olive oil
Tortillas
Cheese
Any other toppings you'd like to add

• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Add one tortilla to the pan.
• Sprinkle with cheese and other toppings.
• Top with another tortilla.
• Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until the outside is browned.
• Remove to a cutting board and slice into wedges.
• Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Notes: The amount of cheese depends on the size of the tortillas. More cheese is better, but too much cheese makes the whole thing goo all over the place.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Vodka and Vanilla Beans New Batch/Old Batch

Making your own vanilla extract is very easy and less expensive buying it at the store. It does have a waiting period of about 2 months for the flavor to develop, so make sure to plan ahead. The taste and smell are worth the wait.

For the best deal on vanilla beans, try ebay, although the prices on Amazon are pretty good too. There are many differences in opinion on the bean to alcohol ratio. I go with 3-4 beans per cup of alcohol. I use vodka, but rum, bourbon and brandy can be used as well.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
4 cups vodka
12 grade B vanilla beans

• Cut the vanilla beans in half crosswise and lengthwise.
• Place them in a quart jar.
• Fill the jar with vodka.
• Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for about 2 months, shaking occasionally.
• After 2 months it's ready to use.
• Pour some of the vanilla into a separate jar to use.
• Then top off your quart jar with more vodka.

Notes: You can reuse the beans, but I only reuse them 2-3 times before starting fresh.

Baking Powder Biscuits

Heart Shaped Biscuits

Matt was making biscuits and gravy last weekend, and it put me the mood for more biscuits. We (and by we I really mean I) seem to have misplaced our biscuit cutters, thus the cookie cutter shapes. The kids liked the shapes better than circles anyway. My baking powder biscuit recipe is a cross between a few different recipes, including Betty Crocker, Mark Bittman, and my grandma.

Baking Powder Biscuits
2 1/2 cups
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup shortening (butter is best)
1 cup milk

• Preheat your oven to 450*.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
• Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or 2 knives.
• Stir in the milk and mix until a sticky dough forms.
• On a well floured board, knead the dough by folding it over on it self 10-12 times. (More flour and a bench scraper are helpful here.)
• Press the dough into a circle about 9 inches in diameter and 3/4 to 1 inch high.
• Cut into 2 1/2 inch circles or shapes. 
• Lightly press the scraps together into a flat circle and cut out a few more biscuits.
• Place biscuits 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450* for 11 minutes.

Notes: Makes 14  2 1/2 inch hearts, plus a few odds and ends.

Refrigerator Pickles and Peppers

Refrigerator Pickles with Peppers and Onions

We love my mom's easy recipe for refrigerator pickles. I add a few more peppers and onions than she does, but it's pretty much the same as I remember growing up.

Refrigerator Pickles and Peppers
7 cups cucumbers, sliced
2 large peppers (red, green, banana, etc.), sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons salt
water
2 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed

• In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, peppers, onion, and salt.
• Cover veggies with water and a lid or plastic wrap and store at room temperature (80 degrees) for 24 hours.
• Reserve about 2 cups of the salty cucumber water and transfer cucumbers, peppers, and onion into canning jars or a medium bowl.
• Mix together sugar, vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed, and 1 1/2 cups salty cucumber water.
• Pour the mixture over the cucumbers to cover. Add more salty water if necessary.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours up to one month.

Notes: A mandolin slicer makes quick work of slicing the veggies.

Hungry Caterpillar Bread and Fruit Kabobs

Inspired by Eric Carle

On Gabe's birthday, his class ate through one caterpillar and one stack of fruit kabobs. I've been wanting one of the kids to pick this birthday treat ever since they started school and I started baking lots of bread. Too fun!
When I make caterpillar bread I use my basic bread recipe, but you could use a different dough or probably even frozen dough.

Hungry Caterpillar Bread

• Let the dough rise for one hour, then punch it down.
• Divide the dough into 10-12 similar sized pieces.
• Roll the pieces into balls and set on your cutting board.
• Move the largest ball (this is the head) to one end of an oiled sheet pan.
• Press to flatten the remaining balls into disks.
• Place the disks in a row on the sheet pan next to the head (all the disks should be touching and standing upright).
• Use a kitchen shears to cut eyes and a mouth into the head.
• Brush the caterpillar with oil and bake for 25 minutes at 400'.
• Remove from the oven and brush with oil.
• To serve, pull off pieces like buns.

Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Kabobs
1 large Gala apple
2 green pears
3 black plums
12 strawberries
3 Clementine oranges
12 wooden skewers
1 can lemon lime soda

• Wash apples and pears, core, cut into chunks, and place in a bowl with the soda.
• Wash plums, remove the pit, and cut into chunks.
• Wash strawberries.
• Peel oranges and separate into quarters.
• On each skewer, place one chunk of apple, pear, plum, strawberry, and orange.

Notes: Cut off the ends of the skewers if you are worried the kids might poke themselves or each other.

Mojitos - Guest Blogger Matthew Weidner

Mojitos

Guest post by Matthew Weidner.

The drink that comes to my mind when I think of summer is the mojito. I have always been a fan of anything with lime in it, so when I first touched my lips on this drink in the Dominican I was instantly in love. This drink can easily be tailored to an individual's taste by adjusting the ingredients. I like it with a little extra rum.

Mojitos
10-12 Mint Leaves
1/2 Lime, Cut into 4 Wedges
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz Light Rum
Club Soda
12 oz Glass
Crushed Ice

Muddle the mint leaves and limes in the bottom of the glass, fill glass 1/2 full of crushed ice, add the simple syrup and rum, and then give the mixture a good stir. Add more crushed ice until the glass is about 3/4 full, top with club soda and give another stir. You want to avoid stirring too much or the mint will come to the top and you will be picking mint leaves out of your teeth as you drink it.

Pasta with Garden Vegetables

Fresh from the garden

Only the little guy and I like this one. There are too many veggies in too chunky of a form for everyone else, but it's sooooo good that I had to post it. :)

Pasta with Garden Vegetables
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups zucchini, chopped
2 gloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, chopped
2 cups precooked pasta
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Parmesan cheese, shredded

• Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion and saute for 3 minutes.
• Add zucchini, oregano, salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes and pasta. Cook for 5-10 minutes until tomatoes are juiced out and soft.
• Stir in basil and parsley.
• Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Notes:  Play around with the amounts of veggies depending on what you have available. If you like it more saucy, add more tomatoes. If you have lots of zucchini to use, then add more zucchini.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cereal Bars

Rice Krispies Treats made even better with chocolate and peanut butter

Rice Krispies Treats are a well loved dessert at our house. The kids like when I add in extra goodies such as mini M&Ms or sprinkles. My favorite combo to add is chocolate and peanut butter. All six of us give this a something good rating.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cereal Bars
2 Tablespoons butter
10 oz. marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups cereal (Rice Krispies, Chex, Cheerios)
1 cups mini chocolate chips, divided

• Grease a 9x13 pan.
• Place butter and marshmallows in a large bowl and microwave for 90 seconds or until marshmallows are big and puffy.
• Stir in peanut butter until combined.
• Stir in cereal.
• Stir in 2/3 cup chocolate chips.
• Spread in the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
• Put a little butter or oil on your hand and press down on the bars until you have an even layer.
• Let the bars cool and set before cutting.

Notes: Feel free to add more peanut butter and chocolate.

Hot Bacon Dressing

Lettuce and Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

This salad brings back memories of my grandma's garden. We got to help pick the leaf lettuce and spinach. Sometimes we'd eat it with supper at grandma's house, and sometimes she'd send a bag of greens home for our supper. Whether eaten at home or with grandma and grandpa, garden lettuce was always served with Hot Bacon Dressing. Each summer I look forward to my garden's fresh lettuce and spinach as a conveyance for the Hot Bacon Dressing and as a spark for those great memories. Three of us call this something good; the other three only eat the bacon.

Hot Bacon Dressing
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons dark corn syrup
Salt and pepper to taste
Leaf lettuce and spinach

• Heat a small pan over medium heat. Fry the bacon until cooked.
• Transfer bacon and grease to a small bowl.
• Add sugar, vinegar, and corn syrup. Whisk to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve tossed with leaf lettuce and spinach.

Notes: This recipe makes about 1/4 cup of dressing, but it's easy to double or triple. Also, make sure to wash the greens really well--I wash them in a tub of water, fish them out, drain the water, and repeat two more times.

Dill Dip

Dill Dip with Veggies

This dill dip is very easy. You can tell it is a big hit when it's almost gone by the time I get out the camera to take a picture.

Dill Dip
1 cup sourcream
1/4 cup mayo
4 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

• Combine all ingredients. Serve with veggies.

Notes: Make the dip a couple hours ahead of time so the flavors have a chance to blend together.

Lime Sorbet - Guest Blogger Neighbor Jen

Lime Sorbet

Guest post by Neighbor Jen
I love to have Becky as a neighbor, we reap the "extra goodies" aka: leftovers. Trading food back and forth is always fun. I never know what my plate will have on it when it returns. I feel like my family has the better end of this arrangement, Becky is a wonderful and gracious cook.
When I brought over my lime sorbet, and she asked me to blog the recipe, well... I must have done something right!
So, here is my best efforts for you to recreate it. (I tend to use what I have in the house. For me, a recipe is only a loose guide.) The original recipe came from a friend who pulled it off allrecipies.com. (My print out is from 2009. The link is long lost on the website.) It is a lemon sorbet recipe. The store happen to have a great sale on lovely-looking limes. So...lime sorbet it was!

ORIGINAL RECIPE:
3 C. water
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. lemon juice
1 T. grated lemon peel

Bring water & sugar to a boil. Cook about 5 min. until sugar is dissolved. Cool.
Add lemon juice and peel. Pour into ice-cream maker & freeze. Let warm on counter about 10 min before serving.

MY VERSION:  my changes are in itlaics
3 C. water
1 1/2 C. sugar - sometimes I will have a steeped sugar around. (Lavender or vanilla infused) I like to use some of that. I like to use about 1/2 cup of the flavored sugar and a cup of regular sugar. For my recipe I used lavender sugar. Just stick a stick of cinnamon or used vanilla bean, or my garden lavender in a jar of sugar and leave it for a while. "Hello, yummy!"
1 1/2 C. lemon juice - Squeeze it fresh. Do not substitute!
1 T. grated lemon peel -always double this. This is where the flavor is. Go for the BIG flavor!
Fresh mint sprig
Vodka- or other alcohol  about 2 T.

Bring water & sugar to a boil. Cook about 5 min. until sugar is dissolved. Add the fresh mint sprig to this. Clap the mint in your hand or crush it first. (Just like you would crumple a used piece of paper.) Cool. Remove the mint.
Add lemon juice and peel. Add a dash of liquor to the mix. We happen to have a lime vodka, so I added that. Just a tablespoon or two. This will help it not to freeze quite solid. I'm sure some chemist can explain why this works scientifically but I'm not sure exactly. It has something to do with the formation of ice crystals. (There is not enough alcohol in the mix for me to worry about feeding it to my kids. They love this sorbet! It is the same as when you add vanilla to your cookies. Vanilla has a VERY high alcohol content.)
Pour into ice-cream maker & freeze. Umm...too putzy for me. Throw it into an 8x8 glass pan & freeze. Then just scrape the top with a fork or spoon before you dish it up.  Let warm on counter about 10 min before serving.

A little goes a long way. It has BIG flavor and everyone finds it refreshing on a hot day. It is also a great recipe that can impress even the toughest of critics. You could make it days or weeks ahead of time and have no prep for company. If you toss some fresh raspberries & an fresh mint sprig on top when serving you too can pull off the "Martha Stewart" look!

Stromboli

Stromboli with pepperoni and mozzarella

Stromboli is bread stuffed with Italian cheese, meat, and veggies. My favorite stromboli recipe comes from Emeril Lagasse. The kids prefer a much simpler version with just pepperoni and cheese. Often I'll make a plain one for the kids and add some peppers, olives, sausage, etc. to the one for the grown-ups. Here's my basic stromboli recipe. Add your favorite pizza toppings and call it something good.

Stromboli
1 loaf of pizza dough or bread dough
Pepperoni, thinly sliced
2 cups mozzarella or other cheese, shredded
Pizza sauce

• Let the dough raise until double, punch it down, and spread or roll it into a large rectangle on a floured board.
• Cover the dough with pepperoni, leaving an inch border around the outside of the dough.
• Add the cheese and any other toppings.
• Roll the dough into a long log.
• Pinch the seam and edges to seal (if it's not sealed up cheese will leak out).
• Transfer loaf to a greased baking sheet.
• Brush with oil and make 1/4 inch deep slices every 2 inches across the top of the loaf.
• Bake at 375* for 25 minutes until the top is browned.
• Remove from the oven, brush with oil, let stand for 10 minutes.
• Cut into slices and serve with pizza sauce.

Notes: Frozen bread dough or refrigerated pizza dough make this recipe even easier.

Pizza Sauce

Pizza Sauce with Fresh Herbs

Here is our basic pizza sauce recipe. The kids prefer if I leave out the fresh herbs--too much green is scary.

Pizza Sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped (basil, parsley, oregano)

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Puree with a blender or food processor.
• Add herbs if desired.

Notes: This recipe makes about 1 cup and is easy to double or triple. You can refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

Strawberry Shortcake

Shortcake with strawberries and whipped cream

Strawberry shortcake minus the strawberries

As evidenced in the pictures above, some of us like our shortcake with strawberries, and some just like cake. A bonus with this shortcake is that it is nondairy for the little guy. The recipe I started with came from joyofkosher.com. I reduced the sugar and changed the method a bit. Also, this shortcake is similar to a spongecake, different from many shortcake recipes that are more biscuit like. Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

• Preheat the oven to 325*.
• Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add orange juice, oil, vanilla, and eggs and stir until smooth.
• Spread the batter in an even layer on the sheet pan.
• Lift the pan and tap it down on the table 4-5 times to even out the batter and get the bubbles out.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Serve with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

Notes: If you like a bit of juice with your berries, slice them, sprinkle with sugar, and let them sit for an hour or more.

Campfire Dessert Pizza

Sweet pizza cooked over the campfire

The kids thought this dessert pizza tasted kind of like a doughnut. I got the idea from a camping cookbook Over a Fire: Cooking with a Stick & Cooking Hobo Style. I made some changes: homemade dough instead of refrigerated, different toppings, etc. My husband has a couple changes for the next time we make this recipe too, but it really wasn't difficult and was very tasty.

Campfire Dessert Pizza
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil
7 oz. water
Heavy duty aluminum foil
1/2 can chocolate frosting
Sweetened flake coconut
M&Ms
Chocolate chips
Pecans
Caramel ice cream topping

• Before you leave to go camping: combine 2 1/2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in a zip bag. Place the extra cup of flour in another zip bag.
• At the campsite: in a medium bowl, add the yeast to the mix from home. Stir in oil and water and mix for about one minute.
• Add more flour until a slightly sticky ball forms.
• Transfer the ball to a floured cutting board and knead for 4-5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and springy.
• Pour a small amount of oil in the bowl, add the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let raise for 1-2 hours until double in size.
• Cut two squares of 18 inch heavy duty foil, grease with olive oil. Punch down the dough and spread in a large circle on one of the pieces of foil.
• Transfer foil to a cooking grate set over hot coals. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the bottom side is browned.
• Place the second piece of foil over the pizza and grab both pieces of foil together to flip the pizza.
• Remove the top piece of foil and bake the second side for 5-10 minutes until browned.
• Transfer foil with pizza onto a large cutting board or picnic table. 
• Spread the frosting on the crust. Sprinkle on the coconut, M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pecans. Drizzle with the caramel topping.
• Use a pizza cutter or a knife to slice into squares.

Notes: If you don't want to make the dough from scratch, use refrigerated pizza dough. The cooking time depends on how hot the coals are. You could divide the dough in half and make two smaller pizzas.

Meaty Baked Beans

Cannellini, black, and Bush's beans with ground turkey and bacon

Five out of six of us give Meaty Baked Beans a "something good" rating. If you like beans and meat, this is your dish. If you don't like beans, well... even adding bacon can't change everything.

Meaty Baked Beans
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 1b. ground beef or turkey
1-2 onions, chopped
1 16 oz. can Bush's Baked Beans, with sauce
3 15 oz. cans other beans (black, kidney, cannellini, etc.), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the bacon.
• Remove and set aside the cooked bacon, drain the grease (save the grease if using turkey).
• Add the ground beef and onion to the pan, season with salt and pepper, cook over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes until the meat is brown and the onions are soft. If using turkey, add 2 Tablespoons of the bacon grease back to the pan while frying. If using beef, drain off the extra fat from the pan after cooking.
• Turn heat to low and add the remaining ingredients.
• Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste.

Notes: Some beans like garbanzo tend to be a little firmer in the can. If you are using different types of beans, add the firmer kind first; then add the softer kind after 10-15 minutes.

Jalapeno Popper Spread - Guest Blogger Jason Ring

Jalapeno Popper Spread

Bacon Jason

Guest Post by Jason Ring.

Becky asked if I would be a guest blogger, and I would be crazy to say no. The recipe I am sharing today is Jalapeno Popper Spread. I developed this recipe from one that I stuff in jalapenos and cook over the grill. Sometimes the grill is not an option, and this dip is a convenient make-ahead if you are entertaining. The reason I share this recipe is that I know Becky's husband, Matt, enjoys this dip.



 
Jalapeno Popper Spread
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 small can chopped green chilies, drained
1 small can diced jalapeno peppers, drained
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth.
• Stir in green chilies, jalapeno peppers, and bacon.
• Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Microwave on High until hot, about 3 minutes.
• Serve with Wheat Thins or taco chips!

Note: I have jalapeno plants growing in my planter garden right now and hope to make this using fresh jalapenos this summer.

Pretzel and Fruit Roll-Up Campfire

Campfire snack made from pretzel sticks and Fruit Roll-Ups

We made these fun little campfires as a take home snack at our Vacation Bible School. Even the littlest kids could do it with very specific instructions.

Pretzel and Fruit Roll-Up Campfire Snack
Pretzel sticks (each fire uses 3 sticks)
Fruit Roll-Ups (1 Fruit Roll-Up = 2 fires)

• Remove the plastic back from the Fruit Roll-Up and cut plastic into two pieces. Cut the Fruit Roll-Up into 8 pieces, 4 for each fire.
• Place one piece of plastic on the table.
• Place one green piece of roll-up flat on the plastic.
• Place one whole pretzel stick on the green roll-up.
• Break a pretzel stick and place the pieces perpendicular to the whole stick to make an X.
• Break another pretzel stick and add the pieces to the X to make a snowflake.
• Place one red piece of roll-up flat on top of the pretzels. 
• Bend or ball up the remaining red and yellow roll-ups to make a flame and place on top of the flat red piece.
• Eat snack.

Notes: The Fruit Roll-Ups that I had were red, yellow, and green. Any red or yellow roll-up or even Fruit by the Foot would work for this.

Non-dairy Snickerdoodles

Super soft, non-dairy snickerdoodles

There are lots of recipes for snickerdoodles. It seems that the biggest difference is whether you like your snickerdoodles crunchy or soft. My kids like soft cookies. These snickerdoodles have a little sugary crunch on the outside, but the inside is soft, almost cakey or doughy. That's how they like it.

Snickerdoodles (no dairy)
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar + 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• Preheat the oven to 375*.
• Mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Mix the oil, applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup and egg in a small bowl or measuring cup.
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
• In a shallow bowl or on a plate, mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon.
• Form the cookie dough into Tablespoon sized balls and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.
• Place cookies about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 9-10 minutes.

Notes: This recipe makes about 30 small rounded cookies. If you like your cookies flatter, press down to flatten the balls of dough before baking.

Rice Bowls with Mexican Leftovers

Rice bowl using leftovers (rice, beans, chicken, cilantro, onion)

When we have tacos or burritos, we often have leftover bits of beans or meat or rice. An easy way to use up those leftovers is to make rice bowls. I'll usually make one bowl for lunch if there's not enough left for a full meal for all of us, but sometimes I make extra rice and such the first time so that there will be enough leftovers for everyone. It works well because each of us can pick which ingredients we like, and it doesn't seem like leftovers.

Rice Bowls with Mexican Leftovers
Rice or Spanish rice
Taco meat (pork, beef, chicken)
Beans (black or refried)
Onions, chopped
Peppers, chopped
Tomatoes, chopped
Cheese, shredded
Salsa
Cilantro
Sour cream 

• Layer rice, meat, beans, onion, peppers, tomatoes, and cheese in a bowl.
• Heat in the microwave until heated through (length of time depends on your microwave).
• Top with salsa, cilantro, and sour cream.

Notes: You can add anything to these rice bowls that you like on a taco. The list above is what we normally have around, but it varies every time.

Spicy Chicken Pasta

Spicy Chicken Pasta

Not too spicy, but it does have a little heat. This recipe is something good for a pot luck or party. My husband and I like it a lot, but only one of the kids will eat it. Ever since a friend of mine shared this Spicy Chicken Pasta recipe with us, I've been trying to find excuses to make it.

Spicy Chicken Pasta
1 pound pasta
3 chicken breasts
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
1 sweet red pepper, diced
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups Ranch dressing (1 16oz. bottle)
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and place in a large bowl.
• Cut chicken breasts into strips and saute with salt and pepper (add a dash of chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin if desired). After chicken is cooked through, cut it into bite sized pieces, and add to the bowl with the pasta.
• Add the jalapeno, onion, red pepper, and cilantro to the bowl.
• In a small bowl, combine the Ranch dressing, mayo, sour cream, and spices.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat. 
• Let the salad rest in the fridge for a little bit before serving.

Notes: My sisters-in-law suggested adding cucumbers or cherry tomatoes. I think they would be great add-ins, but my husband thinks vegetables are overrated. :) Some diced Pepper Jack might be good in here too. 

Scones

Blueberry Scones and Chocolate  Chip Scones

The kids like chocolate chips in their scones. I prefer blueberries or cranberries, so I usually split the dough and make half and half. If I'm making them for the little guy, I use lard or Crisco for dairy free, but butter is better.

Scones
2/3 cup milk (regular, soy or almond)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup shortening (butter is best)
1 cup cranberries or blueberries
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Raw sugar

• Preheat oven to 415*.
• Add the lemon juice to the milk, set aside.
• Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Cut in the shortening.
• Add the milk and mix until a ball forms.
• Divide the ball into two pieces.
• On a silicone baking mat, knead each piece about 8-10 times, adding berries to one half and chocolate chips to the other. A little more flour and a bench scraper are helpful here.
• Press each dough half into a 7 inch circle about 3/4 inch high.
• Cut into 2 inch squares or triangles. Separate pieces so they are not touching.
• Move the silicone mat with the scones to a baking sheet.
• Sprinkle scones with raw sugar.
• Bake 15-18 minutes.

Notes: If you don't have a silicone baking mat, work with the dough on a floured board and transfer individual pieces to a baking sheet.

Banana Jus Alpukat

Banana Jus Alpukat

I started looking for milkshake alternatives about a year ago when I was on a no dairy diet because my little guy couldn't have it. I tried lots of different smoothie variations and came across some recipes for Jus Alpukat, an Indonesian dessert smoothie with avocados. It sounded intriguing, but most of the recipes called for sweetened condensed milk, ice cream, or simple syrup. I subbed in bananas, which thickened and sweetened the drink without adding dairy or extra sugar.

I made one of these for my brother when the recipe was still in the developmental phase. When he asked for tortilla chips, I knew the banana/avocado ratio was off. Maybe he'll give it another try now??? Although my kids are smoothie and milkshake fans, there are only two of us who give this a something good rating; the others prefer their smoothies with just fruit.

Banana Jus Alpukat
2 bananas, frozen and sliced
1/2 avocado, removed from peel
4 ice cubes
1/2 cup milk (regular, soy or almond)
chocolate syrup

• In a blender, combine bananas, avocado, ice cubes, and milk. Blend until smooth.
• Drizzle chocolate syrup down the insides of your serving glasses.
• Spoon smoothie into glasses.
• Top with additional chocolate syrup if desired.

Notes: Bananas seem to have a small window of perfect ripeness. If your bananas get beyond the peak of ripeness, don't throw them away; peel, bag, and freeze them. Frozen bananas are great for smoothies and can be thawed for baking.

Radish Dip

Radish Dip with Crackers

My friend makes a radish dip served with Bugles. I've had it a couple times, and it's always a big hit. When I "googled" radish dip with Bugles, a bunch of different recipes came up. So I decided try my hand at it too; here's my take on radish dip. For some reason it is really good with Bugles, but it's also good with crackers.

Radish Dip
1/2 lb. radishes
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons mayo
3 Tablespoons sour cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chives or green onions, sliced

• Chop or food process the radishes and add salt. 
• Move to a strainer to drain off the juice. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, occasionally stirring and pressing out the juice.
• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and spices. 
• Stir in radishes and chives or onion. Season with salt if necessary.
• Serve with crackers or Bugles.

Notes: If you feel the peppery, radishy taste is too strong, add more cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream to tone down the flavor.

Crispy Noodles

Crispy Noodles

Butter noodles or crispy noodles? We are a house divided. However, seeing as crispy noodles are just fried butter noodles, it's not too difficult to please everyone.

Crispy Noodles
1/2 lb pasta
oil or butter
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Herbs, chopped (optional)

• Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
• Toss drained pasta with oil or butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
• Fry noodles for 5-6 minutes or until desired level of crispiness is reached.
• Top individual servings with Parmesan cheese and chopped herbs.

Notes: To make butter noodles, skip the frying and serve with Parmesan cheese and herbs.

Question: Which do you prefer, crispy or buttered?

Honey Lemonade

Honey Lemonade

When life gives you honey and lemons, make honey lemonade.

Honey Lemonade
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
lemon peel
1 cup lemon juice
3 cups ice water

• Combine 1 cup water, sugar, and honey in a medium pot.
• Use a vegetable peeler to peel off 5-6 strips of lemon peel.
• Add strips of lemon peel to the pot and warm over medium heat until sugar and honey are dissolved.
• Turn off the heat and remove strips of lemon peel.
• Add lemon juice and ice water. Stir to combine.
• Pour into a pitcher or directly into glasses to serve.

Notes: Fresh squeezed lemon juice makes this recipe way better.

Deep Dish Pizza

Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza

It's hard to find the perfect pizza recipe. Cook's Country has a good thin crust recipe that we like, but the favorite in our house is deep dish. My recipe for deep dish crust is a cross between Mark Bittman's pizza crust using a food processor and the notes I took watching an America's Test Kitchen video on deep dish pizza. This pizza may not be the perfect recipe, but it's my current favorite and "something good."

Deep Dish Pizza
Dough:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons yeast
7 oz milk or water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons oil

Toppings:
4 Tablespoons oil
2/3 cup pizza sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
40 slices pepperoni

• Mix flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a food processor.
• In a separate bowl, warm the milk or water to 110-115 degrees and add the sugar and oil, stirring to combine.
• With the food processor running, add the liquid mixture using the feed tube. Process until combined.
• If it forms into a ball, you are ready to continue. If the mixture is too sticky or too dry, add flour or water one tablespoon at a time until a ball forms.
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic, and let it raise 1-2 hours.

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• Move rack to the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 400*.
• Pour 2 Tablespoons oil in each of the bottoms of 2 round 9 inch pans.
• Divide the dough in half.
• Roll out the dough in a circular shape on a floured surface. Use your knuckles to stretch the dough into a 9 inch circle. Place in one pan and repeat with the second half of the dough.
• Spread 1/3 cup sauce on each pizza.
• Sprinkle each pizza with 3/4 cup mozzarella.
• Spread out 20 pepperoni slices in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate. Cover with a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Place slices on one pizza and repeat with the remaining slices for the other pizza.
• Bake for 20 minutes.

Notes: If you are in a time crunch, force the dough to raise by preheating your oven to 150, turning off the oven, and placing the plastic covered dough bowl in the warm oven for 30 minutes.

Mom's Marinade

Grilled Chicken with Mom's Marinade

I don't think my mom even measures when she makes her marinade, but I forced her to write down the recipe a few years ago because we all like it so much. This marinade is great for chicken, pork, or beef.

Mom's Marinade
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown or Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
salt and pepper to taste

• Combine ingredients in a bowl.
• Set aside 1/4-1/2 cup of the marinade for a dipping sauce if desired.
• Place 4 pounds of meat in a zip bag.
• Pour remaining marinade over meat.
• Let sit, refrigerated, for at least an hour.
• Grill or broil the meat; discard the marinade that was on the meat.
• Serve meat with reserved marinade.

Notes: The chicken tenderloins in the above picture were on a hot grill for about 7 minutes.

Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled Eggs: My favorite breakfast meal

Guest Post by Noah W.

Everyone in our family likes scrambled eggs. I like to cook them. My dad says that the secret to scrambled eggs is to cook them over low heat. Don't forget the salt and pepper. :)

Scrambled Eggs
Eggs
Milk (optional)
Oil or butter
Salt and pepper

• First crack the eggs into a bowl.
• Stir them until they are mixed up.
• Add some milk if you want.
• Heat oil or butter in a pan over low to medium heat.
• Put the eggs in the pan.
• Get a spatula, turn it over and scrape the eggs in the pan back and forth.
• Add some salt and pepper.
• Keep cooking and stirring the eggs until they aren't runny anymore.
• Then put them on a plate.

Notes: It's good to have at least one egg per person. I like two eggs.

Bacon in the oven

Bacon hot from the oven

Using the oven makes bacon incredibly easy to cook. It requires little monitoring and no flipping, leaves plenty of room on the stove top for eggs, hash browns, etc. And cleanup is a snap. Plus the bacon comes out nice and flat.

Different brands and the thickness of the cut can change the baking time. Also, some people like it crispier than others, but if you use the same type of bacon every time, you'll find a baking time that works for you.

Oven Bacon

• Preheat oven to 400*.
• Place a cooling rack on a foil lined sheet pan.
• Pinch the foil up in the corners to make a tray to catch the drippings.
• Spread out the bacon on the cooling rack in a single layer.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes for thin-cut bacon, 20+ minutes for thick-cut.
• Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
• Drain and save the grease or let it cool on the foil and throw it away. 

Notes: If you skip the cooling rack and place the bacon directly on the foil, you might want to flip it and/or drain off some of the grease partway through baking.

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips

Pumpkin Bread is another food the whole family can agree on. Whether or not to add chocolate chips, now that's a different story. This pumpkin bread recipe is adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe.

Pumpkin Bread
1 15oz can pumpkin
1 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• Preheat oven to 350* and grease the bottoms only of two loaf pans.
• Mix pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
• Bake 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.
• Remove bread from pans and cool completely before cutting.

Notes: Because some of us like chocolate in this bread, I add 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to the second half of the batter after filling the first pan. To keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom and sticking, I spread a thin layer of plain batter in the bottom of the pan before adding the chocolate chip batter.