5 a day

Recipe SHARE

2011-07-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

What did you do with your box this week?

I enjoyed the sprouts A LOT! I made lots of sandwiches with them. I put sprouts in salads & on our chalupas, in my tacos...basically everywhere. I LOVE THEM!

Anna made this with her Zucchini's

Next week we'll be getting a new vegetable, a trial size, that we haven't had in our box before. A person in the group has asked for it and we are gonna try it out. We are getting BEETS!

Know any good recipes or ideas on what YOU LIKE TO DO with Beets?

A Fall Favorite!

2010-10-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

If you still have your butternut squash or want to get one, this recipe has become a fall favorite. With the flavors that is everything that eminates FALL, this recipe just reminds me of brisk nights, soothing brown & red colors on the tress & a nice warm dessert filled with cinnamon to warm your soul. OOOHHH I loved it.

Butternut Squash Casserole (its a Dessert!)

from my favorite recipe site: allrecipes.com

Ingredients

3 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease one 2 quart casserole dish and set aside.
Combine the butternut squash, white sugar, brown sugar, margarine, pineapple, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Mix well and pour into casserole dish.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

TRY IT, you will lick the whole bowl!

Recipes for your BOX

2010-10-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

Your box had: romaine lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, butternut squash, apples, bananas, honeydew, korean pears, and red plums.

Here are a few recipes for your veggies:

Crunchy Romaine Toss

Grilled Orange Vinaigrette Salad

Surprise Veggie is BUTTERNUT!!

Here are some fabulous ideas on what to do with your butternut:

Butternut Squash Casserole

Roasted & Curried Butternut Squash soup

WHAT DID YOU MAKE WITH YOUR BOX?

Butternut Lasagna

2010-10-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

Butter Nut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 (11⁄2- to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
21⁄2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Heat oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet, cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a mixing bowl or food processor and mash. Season the squash purée to taste with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a low boil over medium- high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-by-2- inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Cover the bottom of pan with one layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half of the squash purée over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the cheese. Repeat layering once more, finishing with a layer of noodles covered only by white sauce.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna and continue baking until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

--posted by Amy Gold

Tomatillos

2010-09-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

Learn all about Tomatillos from: What's Cooking America.com

Use the Famous Cafe Rio Dressing from: Better in Bulk

What will you do with your Tomatillos?

Recipes for your BOX

2010-09-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

For Broccoli, Potatoes & Green Onions

Broccoli Chowder

For Lettuce, Broccoli and Green Onions:

Crunchy Romaine Toss

For Broccoli:

Broccoli Salad

For Fruit:

Nectarine Blush

FruitY Fun Skewers

For Tomatillos:

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Share your favorite recipes of the week

New Food Blog to follow!

2010-09-22T15:41:00.001-07:00

From Paige Nemrow:

Last night we tried a great new recipe! It was a salad that used ingredients from last weeks box that I was trying to use up: Spinach, Apples, Grilled Chicken and I substituted feta cheese for the gouda. My husband is not a big salad eater and he loved it! It can be found on this blog of a friend of mine in Utah.

http://www.abountifulkitchen.com/

Menu Planning

2010-09-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

I know a few blog posts ago I said Menu Plan to keep your food lasting longer. I know we all Menu plan somehow. I go through many phases of menu planning, I have done monthly, weekly according to what's in my box. But since I've gotten back from my trip, all menu planning went out the door. SO I am determined to do it...DO IT!! so.....

I have gone through various different types of Menu Planning.
Here are some great links for Menu Plan Printouts:

Better Budgeting.com

Homeschool Curriculum for Life

Image above from - Project Girl

Or this cute one from - TangarangBlog

& My Favorite:
Organized Home.com
She has some great printouts & they are colorful & fun!!

How do you Menu Plan?

Recipes for your BOX

2010-09-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

RECIPES for your BOX

*For your mushrooms, bell pepper & Onions :

MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk

Directions

In a sauce pan over medium heat cook the onions, green pepper, red pepper, mushrooms and butter until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the cream of chicken sup and milk. Cook until smooth.

*More recipes for Mushroom, onions & bell peppers:

Veggie Fajitas

Jay's Hearty Breakfast Skillet

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

*For Your Sweet Potato:

FRIED WHITE SWEET POTATO

1 white sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin

Canola oil for frying

Salt, optional

In a large skillet, pour about ½” of oil… heat it at medium-high heat.
While the oil heats up, prep the sweet potato… I peel it using a vegetable peeler because I am not too good peeling using a knife. The sweet potato will start to get dark after being exposed to the air a few seconds. Don’t worry, it’s normal and it will not change the texture or taste of the sweet potato.
After you’ve peeled and sliced the sweet potato and the oil is hot enough… start frying. The sweet potato will take a while to fry because of its moisture content… but with patience, it will cook on the inside and get crispy on the outside. The thinner you slice the potato, the faster they will cook and the crispier it will be. They should be golden brown, without any burned spots.
Drain them onto a plate with paper towel and sprinkle with some salt if you want… I usually do not salt them.

White and Sweet Potato Gratin

Nov 16, 2006 Stephanie Gallagher

3/4 cup crushed croutons
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1-1/4 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (approximately 3 medium potatoes)
1/2 lb. sweet potato (approximately 1 large sweet potato)
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup half and half
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use a food processor to crush the croutons. Spray a 1.5 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 Tbsp olive oil over bottom of dish. Peel and slice potatoes into 1/8-inch thick slices.Read more at Suite101:

*Recipes for your granny smith apples:

Apples by the Fire

Super Duper Easy Apple Cake

Spiced Apples

What will you do with your box?

Recipes for your BOX

2010-09-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some ideas for what came in your box. Click on the title & it will link to the recipe. MOST come from Allrecipes.com, its a GREAT site!

Peppercorn Ranch Pasta Recipe

Rustic Fall Philly Fruit Tart

Carrot Broccoli Casserole

Penne Primavera Recipe

Broccoli Slaw

Roasted Kabocha Pumpkin

TIPS for minimizing Waste of produce

2010-09-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so some of the past emails received has made me think about wasting food....so hence this BLOG POST!

I have done a bunch a research & some are things that we have been doing, to help minimize waste of produce:

#1 - SORT when you bring it home.
Choose items that may VERY ripe to eat FIRST. So they don't go bad in the fridge & then wasted. Remember to bring out the produce already in the fridge forward or out on the counter so you can remember to use it.

#2 - USE Green Bags to preserve produce, they are reusable & my fruits & veggies last almost 2-3 weeks at times. Use lunch brown sacks for Mushrooms.
Keep Potatoes & Onions in a cool area of the kitchen, cupboard or pantry.

#3 - MENU PLAN
Especially for veggies that you may not use everyday, set a day & meal that you will use them in.
SEARCH recipe sites for ideas to use for specific ingredients: allrecipes.com has a good one.
I will be posting a new blog post with recipe ideas for what was received in the box each week.

#4 Preserve Excess
If you find that you are using veggies, but have too many of certain veggies...preserve them!
FREEZING:
Bell Peppers & Onions - Chop & Freeze in ziplocs (great to pull them out from the freezer & pop them into your chili)
Mushrooms - Saute 1/2 as long as normal & freeze
Tomatoes - some prep work see: DEEP SOUTH DISHES
Corn on Cob: Husk, Blanch Corn, Cool, Bag & Freeze

#5 Keep a Food Waste Diary
Every time you throw away food, whether it's a banana peel or 3/4 of a lasagna, you write down what it was and why you tossed it. The diary helps you be mindful - do I really need to toss this, or can I take it for lunch tomorrow? But also, after a while you can see what you're wasting the most and try to curb your shopping habits. see: thekitchn.com for details.

NOW that I say all these things, hopefully I can stay on top of NOT wasting food.
Any PERSONAL tips, PLEASE post it!

Recipes for your F&V box of veggies 9/1/10

2010-09-01T13:57:00.001-07:00

WHAT CAN YOU MAKE
with what's in your BOX?

WHAT CAN YOU MAKE WITH: Zucchini

Grilled Zucchini II

Ingredients

1 large zucchini
1/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing

DIRECTIONS

Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Toss in a bowl with Italian dressing.
Place on a hot grill and grill about 4 to 5 minutes or until nice grill marks appear and the zucchini is slightly limp. Serve and enjoy.

WHAT YOU CAN MAKE WITH : zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes

Crescent Beef Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup diced zucchini
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup tomato puree
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, saute the zucchini, onion and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the beef, tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper; heat through.
Spread mashed potatoes in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle with feta cheese.
Unroll crescent dough. Separate into four rectangles; arrange three rectangles over the casserole. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until top is browned. Roll remaining dough into two crescent rolls; bake for another use.

MAKE WITH: Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, Apples
*I change the fruit depending upon what I have, but the KIDS love this*

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
1 Nectarine peeled & diced
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

WHAT RECIPES WILL YOU MAKE WITH
WHAT'S IN YOUR BOX?

Yummy Zucchini Recipe

2010-03-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Casserole from Allrecipes.com

(I cubed bread & baked it & used that instead of stuffing, which I did not have)

I found this recipe to be great for emptying some items in my fridge I had not yet used. Because of my GREEN bags, my zucchini's last 2 weeks...but I try to use them up & this recipe got 4 stars out of 5 mouths in our family!!

Try it out, your fam might like it!

WHAT's YOUR FAVORITE ZUCCHINI RECIPE?

Great Deals & Finds

2010-03-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out Linds's site. She posts great deals on shopping / couponing & great food finds. Get stocked up on your food storage by using her fabulous finds.

(Click on the picture to link, if not HERE)

St. Patricks Day Recipes

2010-03-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

Recipes for the Green Day HERE

Fun Kid Recipes for St. Patty's Day HERE

Desserts for a Lucky Day HERE

WHAT St. Patricks Day recipe did you use your produce for?

Green Bags

2010-03-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

How long does your produce last?

For 1 1/2 years I have been using the GREEN BAGS from Debbie Meyer. I love them. My produce will ast 2 weeks & even longer. I resuse the bags & only have to buy new once maybe twice a year. SUCH a good deal.

Find it at Walmart in the "as seen on TV" section (by the checkout stands)

WHAT ELSE do you do to preserve your produce?

Sweet Potato ROLLS - Okinawan RECIPE

2010-03-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

*makes 16 medium sized rolls

INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb (1 large) sweet potato, peeled & cut into chunks
1 t dry yeast
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 C all purpose flour
2 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T salt
2 large eggs
1 egg - whisked for egg wash

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Put sweet potatoe in pan w/2 c water, bring to boil. Cook for 15 minutes, until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Mash or puree potatoe & place in large bowl. Let potatoe & water cool to lukewarm.

2) Measure 1 C of cooking water & stir in yeast to dissolve. Add yeast misture to potatoe, stir in brown sugar & 1 C flour. Add butter & salt and stir, then add 2 eggs & mis well. Add 2 more cups of flour, a cup at a time.

3)Dust a work surface with flour & turn out the dough. Knead for 5 minutes till soft, & somewhat elastic. Place in clean bowl, cover w/plastic wrap & let rise until doubled - 4 hours.

4) Pull dough away from sides of bowl and turn out onto a floured surface. Lightly grease a backing sheet w/butter.

5) Use sharp knife to divide dough into 16 pieces. Using your palm press the dough lightly into your work surface. roll 1 piece into a round roll. Place shaped roll on baking sheet. Place rolls 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet. Cover w/plastic wrap & rise another 30-40 minutes.

6) Brush tops of rolls with egg wash. Place rack in center of oven & Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Rolls should be a deep brown on top & golden orange at sides. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

YUM!

*I tried these a few days ago...and did not estimate enough time for rising...so I finished baking the day after. LOVE them, very yummy to just munch on.

Happy Friday Fruit and Veggie Friends

2010-02-26T11:46:00.000-08:00

What did the green grape say to the purple grape?

Fresh Tomato Soup w/ Basil recipe

2010-02-03T15:16:00.001-08:00

from Paige Nemrow:

3 Tbsp. butter or marg.

1 large onion, sliced

1 large carrot, shredded

4-6 large tomatoes, peeled (by dipping into boiling water), seeded, and coarsely chopped (4-5 cups)

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves or 4-5 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. white sugar

1/8 tsp. white pepper (or black)

2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp. tiny soup pasta (pastina or I have used little salad sea shells)

In a 3 qt. saucepan cook onion and carrot in butter for about 10 min. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min.

Whirl tomato mixture, a portion at a time, in a food processor or blender until smooth; set aside.

Pour broth into pan and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer about 7 min. Stir in tomato mixture and heat through.

CRANBERRIES??

2009-11-18T19:31:00.000-08:00

IDEAS:

Orange Blosson Cranberry Muffins

*From Audrey & "The Muffin Book"

2 t sugar

3 t orange zest

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1/2 C sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 C milk

1/4 C butter, melted

2 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 1/2 C cranberries - food processed with orange juice

1) preheat 400 F, lightly grease muffin cups/line cups

2)For topping combine 2 t sugar, 1 t orange zest, set aside

3) In large bowl stir together: flour, baking powder, salt, 2 t orange zest. Stir through the 1/2C sugar. Make a well ni the center.

4) In a small mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, melted butter, & orange juice concentrate/cranberry blend. Add all at once to the flour mixture & stif until just mointenet (lumpy is good).

5) Spoon batter into cups, fill 2/3rds full. Sprinkle tops of muffins w/Sugar-Orange Peel mixture. Bake till golden brown: 12-15 min. Let cool 5 min.

Cranberry Sauce

Only 3 ingredients for cranberry sauce...Allrecipes are GREAT:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cranberry-Sauce/Detail.aspx

What do you do with Your Cranberries?

Banana Bread

2009-11-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

POSTED BY ANGIE:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
6 bananas mashed

4 eggs

1c butter

2c sugar
2 tsp baking soda

1tsp Salt

4c Flour

*Chocolate chips (Optional)

Mix together first 4 ingredients. Add last 3 ingredients*.
Pour into 2 loaf pans (I like to line it with Parchment paper) Bake for 40 minutes (or until a fork or skewer comes out clean.)
I like to put it in a ziplock bag while it is still warm (not hot) to keep it nice and moist.

POSTED BY MOLLY:

I use this one from all recipes. I'm a sucker for brown sugar...
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx

Spinach Recipes

2009-11-10T15:32:00.000-08:00

POSTED BY: Paige

Here is our favorite Spinach Lasagne (it was a recipe contest winner). It's different than any other that you've probably had and sooo good!

10 oz. frozen spinach (or 1 bunch cooked fresh)

6 oz. lasagne noodles

1 lb. ground beef (can also add 1/8 lb. pork sausage if you like)

3/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. oregano

3/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce parmesan cheese sprinkled on top

Brown meat in skillet. Add salt, pepper, oregano & worchestershire. Stir in cooked & well-drained spinach. In oil dripped pan arrange 1/2 cooked noodles, 1/2 meat mixture and 1/2 cheese. Repeat layers. Heat soup & milk together. Stir until well blended and pour over top of casserole, separating noodles a bit to let seep down in. Pour tomato sauce over top and sprinkle generously with parmesan chees. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

POSTED BY MARIKO:

It's very easy, also, to throw a handful of spinach into your smoothie. You can't taste it at all. We also sautee a HUGE bunch of spinach, blend it up, and mix it into the egg before cooking scrambled eggs. Again, you can't taste it, and Amaya doesn't seem to mind that they're green at all.

FOOD INC.

2009-09-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

Have you seen this?

I was chatting with a fellow co-oper & we discussed Food INC. SO interesting. I have NOT seen it, but I WANT to. can't wait till Ohana Video gets it! (hee hee)

what are your thoughts?

What We Do With Our Veggies

2009-08-16T23:25:00.001-07:00

photo from chidiet.com

Zucchini: We like to saute our zucchini the same as the green beans and mushrooms, olive oil, salt, pepper.
Mushrooms: We also like to saute our mushrooms with a little bit of butter or olive oil, onions and worstershire sauce, SO GOOD. (tastes like the ones that come on top of steak at the restaurant. You can add steak seasoning too.)
Cherries: we pitted them and dipped em in chocolate. Not good for ya, but YUM.
Tomatoes: We like to make salsa. If you want that recipe, let me know. Another mom in my group has and great one.
Bell Peppers:

Steak and Peppers on Rice

1 1/2 lb. steak, cut into strips
2 bell peppers, sliced into strips
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 T butter
1 clove garlic (or 1/2 t garlic powder)
1 C beef boullion
2 T corn starch
2 T soy sauce
4 C rice

Melt butter, saute garlic, Brown steak, add bell peppers, and green onions, and saute till just wilted. Add boullion and tomatoes, cook 5 minutes. Add cornstarch (mixed previously with a little water). Simmer until sauce has thickened. Serve on top of white or brown rice.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2 large bell peppers, halved
(dash of salt optional)
3/4 lb. ground beef, pork, lamb, sausage, or turkey (whatever you like)
1/3 C chopped onion
1-7.5 oz. can tomatoes cut up (just cut up tomatoes from your veggie box!)
1/2 C water
1/3 C long grain rice, UNCOOKED
1 T worstershire sauce
1/2 t dried oregano (or basil)
1/2 C shredded american cheese, separated in to two 1/4 C amounts.

Halve the peppers, remove the stems, ends, and seeds. Immerse in boiling water for 3 minutes. Sprinke with salt, if you want, and invert on paper towel to drain.
In a large skillet cook meat nd onion til meat is brown and onions are tender. Drain off fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes (if you are using fresh you may have to cook them for a few minutes to get the right consistency), water, UNCOOKED rice, worstershire sauce, and dried oregano or basil, 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t pepper. Bring to boiling, and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or till rice is tender. Stir in 1/4 C cheese.
Fill peppers with meat mixture. Place in a square baking dish along with any remaining meat mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinke with remaining 1/4 C cheese. Let stand for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.

I'm pretty sure (though I haven't tried it yet) that you could add just about any other veggies to the meat mixture (mushrooms, zucchini, etc) and it would turn out yummy. My hubby really likes this one.

confession

2009-08-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

sometimes i open up my fridge just to look at all the beautiful green bell peppers, the juicy red tomatoes, and the savory varieties of fruit. it makes me happy.

it makes my husband laugh.

Veggie Ideas

2009-07-03T00:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys what did you do with your Fruits & Veggies this week?

I need some recipe ideas

Kale!

2009-06-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you're obssessed with Kale.

Really.

When I get a bunch of kale, I usually cut it into thin thin strips and then let it marinated in olive oil, a little salt, and lemon juice, so I can eat it in a salad. But sometimes I don't want to wait!

I found out you can roast kale in the oven in about 10 minutes (minus the heating time).

Chop up the washed kale into 1-2 inch pieces, rub them with olive oil and place on a cookie sheet. Then sprinkle sea salt over it and roast at 375 for about 10-12 minutes (until it's crisp like nori).

These just crunch in your mouth like little chips. A good way to trick your kids into eating greens! (if you don't eat them all yourself, like I did.)

Just for the record, cauliflower (a vegetable I used to hate) is also delicious this way. Thinly sliced, rubbed with olive oil and salt, set in a pan and roasted for about 20 minutes, until it turns golden brown on the edges and carmelizes. And it looks pretty.

Freezing Food

2009-06-17T23:23:00.001-07:00

Did you know that you can freeze red peppers? I didn't, but I was
hoping. I {HEART} red peppers, however I'm the only one in my house
who does and there's no way I can eat all those peppers in one week.
So, if you want to freeze some, too, here's a website to help:

http://inmykitchengarden.blogspot.com/2006/08/whats-growin-on-81706.html

Freezing zucchini:

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf676463.tip.html

Freezing asparagus (I needed this last time as I already had some
asparagus in my fridge):

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61961359.tip.html

But my greatest find was that you can cook corn on the cob right in
the husk! Seriously and it was SOOOO much easier to get all those
nasty strings off after it was cooked. No really, they just feel
right off. And the best part is that its done in the microwave in
like 5 minutes. Though I do have to warn you that if my corn was any
indication, Foodland chops the tops off the corn before selling it for
a reason - a little wormy reason. So you might was to chop the tops
before you cook - it shouldn't make a difference. I plan to do that
next go round.

FRESH CORN ON THE COB (MICROWAVE)
Cook fresh corn on the cob in microwave with husks and silk intact.
They will cook in their own natural moisture.

Place on paper towel. Turn ears over and rearrange after 1/2 cooking
time.
Cooking Timetable:
1 ear - 1 1/2 minutes
2 ears - 3 to 4 minutes
3 ears - 5 to 6 minutes
4 ears - 7 to 8 minutes
6 ears - 8 to 9 minutes.

When ears are hot to the touch, remove and wrap in kitchen towel or
foil. Let stand at least 5 minutes. Remove husks and silk (which is
easier than when cold) and serve.

OK, that's it for now. I would love to hear what you guys are doing
with all your fruits and/or veggies.

Lisa P.

Fruits & Veggies Galore

2009-06-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

Our fruits & veggies are magnificent, we are excited to be in summer & enjoying so much wonderful produce.

June 17 Fruits & Veggies (V2)

Romaine, Romas, Red Bell Peppers, Zucchini, Jalapeno Peppers,
Peaches, Nectarines, Black Plums, Kiwi & Honeydew.

Fruits Only June 17

Banana, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums & Pineapple

What will you make with your spread?
POST your recipes, so we can enjoy it like you do!

Thai Chicken, Mango & Pineapple Salad

2009-06-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

(found this on Familyfun.com)

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
	1 (14-ounce) can regular or light coconut milk
	1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste, or more to taste
	2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
	1/2 cup fresh orange juice
	4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
	1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks
	1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
	4 cups salad greens

1. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, orange zest, and orange juice and reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture in a separate container. In a ziplock bag, toss together the chicken breast chunks and half of the marinade from the bowl. Toss the fruit and the remaining marinade in another ziplock bag. Let the food marinate at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.

2. Prepare a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium-high, and oil the grates. Thread the chicken and fruit pieces onto separate skewers.

3. Grill the skewered chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, or until the chicken is cooked through. Grill the fruit skewers for 2 minutes per side, turning once, or until you have visible grill marks. Remove the meat and fruit from the skewers and serve them over salad greens drizzled with the reserved marinade. Serves 4.

Wednesday F & V2 also Fruits Only

2009-06-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

What the Fruit Only Group got....

What the F & V 2 Group got...
What did you do with your box?

Daikon the Korean Turnip

2009-06-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

Here is my super fast Vietnamese Soup that uses turnips. My kids love it
(but maybe my kids are weird).

Dumplings:
1/2 lb. ground or chopped shrimp, or pork, or chicken, or turkey or any
combination thereof (whatever you have)
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. fish sauce
1 egg
3 Tbl. finely chopped onion

Put this all in a food processor and pulse until it is a lumpy paste, about
15 seconds. Or chop it all up little and mix in a bowl. Set aside.

Soup Broth:
1 Tbl. oil
1/2 onion chopped fine
1 clove garlic chopped fine
1 tsp. chili flakes
3 Tbl. fish sauce
4 ripe tomatoes quartered, (optional)
2 daikon (Korean turnip) peeled and sliced thin
5 c. chicken or beef or pork or vegetable stock (whatever you would like)
2 c. water
1 tsp. shrimp paste
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lime juice

Heat the oil. Fry the onion and garlic and fry just until nice and
fragrant. Add the chilies, fish sauce, and tomatoes. Fry for 1 minute.
Add the daikon, broth, water, shrimp paste, salt and lime juice. Bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to a nice simmer. Scoop heaping spoonfuls of the
dumpling mixture and slip into the broth. Use all the dumpling mixture this
way. Cook until the dumplings rise to the top, about 10 minutes. Serve
over rice or rice noodles.

I hope you enjoy this. Daikon (turnip) also makes Korean pickled radish if
you like that.

Audrey

Lemon Confusion

2009-04-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

Still confused on what to do with ALL those lemons?....visit Martha:

She will show you how to make this:

Lemon Poppy-Seed Cookies

Or these:

Lemon Madeleines

Cooking Class

2009-03-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys, Its that time again....COOKING CLASS!

March's Theme will be THAI
Molly Tanuvasa's Home
Date to be announced.

Fruits & Veggies Spread

2009-03-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

What a great day in March for Veggies:
Pineapple
Kabocha Pumpkin
Romaine Lettuce
Broccoli
Grapes
Pears
Chinese Peas
Oranges
Onions
Bean Sprouts
Apples
Tomatoes

WHAT WILL YOU COOK TODAY?
Please post your fabulous recipes

Kabocha Pumpkin

2009-03-16T16:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some GREAT links for ideas on how to cook the pumpkin. I know that you can use it in Thai Recipes too.

Check these recipe sites:
Kabocha Pumpkin cookies

Braised Kabocha squash and chicken

Kabocha Squash and Spinach Soup

BREADelicious!

2009-02-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

Focaccia Bread (italian flat bread)

TIME: Prep: 15 Min + rising

BAKE: 20 min.

Ingredients:

3 C. bread flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. rapid rise yeast

6 tbsp. olive oil

2/3 C. warm water (110 F)

1/4-1/3 C. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

dash cumin

1 thinly sliced tomato (optional)

crumbled feta cheese (optional)

sliced olives (optional)

Directions:

in a large bowl, sift together flour and salt; stir in yeast. Add olive oil and warm water; mix well. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 min. Cover dough and let relax for 10 min.
Roll dough into a rectangle approx. 7x11 in. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and make about 20 deep impressions in the dough with your fingers. Cover with greased (cooking spray) plastic and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40 min.
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Pour 1/2 of remaining olive oil in small bowl. Stir in salt, basil, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin and mix. Add tomato slices (and feta and olives) to olive oil and spice mixture and coat well. Brush loaf with remaining olive oil, then top with tomatoes. Drizzle remaining oil and spice mixture over loaf.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Honey Oat Whole Wheat Bread

TIME: Prep: 25 min. + rising

Bake: 40 min. + cooling

Ingredients:

2 cups water, divided
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
2 packages (1/2 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 egg
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour (2+ cups white, 2+ cups wheat), divided
Melted butter, optional

Directions:

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup water to boiling. Stir in the oats, butter, honey and salt. Let stand until mixture cools to 110°-115°, stirring occasionally. Heat remaining water to 110°-115°.
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the egg, oat mixture and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough.
Spread batter evenly into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Smooth tops of loaves. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 35-40 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Brush with melted butter if desired. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).

you are what you eat!!

2009-01-21T13:56:00.001-08:00

Found this great article from a neighbor's blog...thought it fit right into our group!!!

“We’ve all heard we are what we eat, but did you know that studies show that every whole food we eat has a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function and gives us a heads up on what benefits that food might provide us? Here are a few examples:

“A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and science shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

“A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

“Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

“A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

“Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

“Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

“Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? ... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

“Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

“Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.”

(Source attributed to David Bjerklie, of TIME Magazine)

EGGPLANT?????

2009-01-19T16:33:00.000-08:00

Here are two recipes I have been waiting to try. I got these from allrecipes.com. If you try it...you gotta tell us WHAT you loved...and WHAT you didn't.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

EGGPLANT SUPPER SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound eggplant, diced
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced celery
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes, drained
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry macaroni
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1 - Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion, beef, and garlic until beef is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in eggplant, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Pour in beef broth. Mix in sugar, and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.
2 - Mix macaroni into the soup, and continue cooking 12 minutes, or until macaroni is al dente. Mix in parsley. Top with Parmesan chreese to serve.

Budget-Friendly Cooking

2009-01-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

Check out Recipezaar for inexpensive recipes, make ahead freezer meals, and penny-pinching menus!!

Click HERE for all the details

Menu Plan Monday

2009-01-12T17:56:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,
Here is a Menu Plan for the rest of the week :

Tuesday: (simple & fresh day)
Tacos
Refried Beans
Fruit Smoothies for dessert

Wednesday: (make double and freeze for later)
Smokey Corn Chowder (click HERE for recipe)
French Bread

Thursday: ( easy meal day)
Cream of Mushroom Chicken (click HERE for recipe)
Rice
Green Beans

Friday
Pizza ( I make a pizza that we adults like & then I cut up lots of veggies and have the kids make a pizza the way they want it. )
Soda
Popcorn & movie night

Saturday (reheat something from freezer/ or..)
BBQ Chicken - throw frozen chicken in a freezer bag with BBQ sauce and put back in the freezer, pull out to cook in crockpot or on BBQ.
Corn on the Cob / frozen corn
Bread Sticks

Sunday
Roast Beef - Crockpot right before lunch and its ready when its dinner time
Garlic Bread
Salad

Monday
Creme Tuna on Rice
Peas
Salad (leftover from Sunday)

*What does your menu plan for the week look like? Post in Comments

Cheesecake Brownies

2008-12-05T00:14:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm home now, home from the bridal shower, and sooo tired, and bummed I didn't make to the christmas craft night, BUT I did make these cheesecake brownies for the shower, so I decided that sorta counts, right? (I'm really posting this, so ya'll will feel obligated to post your goody recipes...is it working??) :)
So here goes:

Cheesecake Brownies

For the brownies I used my mom's recipe (you can also use a box mix if you want):

1 C butter (you can use margarine, but it doesn't taste as good)
2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 C cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 C flour

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, egg. Mix cocoa and flour in a separate bowl. Add to wet mixture, being sure not to over mix. It may be lumpy, it's okay.

For the cheesecake swirl:
1 pkg. 8oz. creamcheese
1/3 C sugar
1 egg

Pour the brownie mixture into a greased 9x13, pour the cheesecake mixture on top and "swirl" with a spatula.
Bake at 325 for 25-35 min.
Let cool in pan, cut, and enjoy.

Cookie Swap / Craft Night

2008-12-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
During this time of year I love to BAKE and CREATE!! So why not combine them together for a fun FAB night.

So if you want to join us in the FUN:

This Thursday Dec. 4th, 2008
8pm - very late
OHANA VIDEO conference Area (in back of store)
* Bring some goodies to share & the recipe to swap
* Email or call me for Supplies to pick up to CREATE these fabulous gift ideas.
*Or Bring your own crafts to work on.

cookbook project

2008-11-21T16:39:00.000-08:00

hi everyone. if you want to be a part of a family favorites cookbook project that i am doing as a christmas present to you and for myself :) then head over to my blog and read the post from yesterday (Nov. 20th) and join in! so far we already have some delicious recipes submitted and i am thrilled.

thanks!

-steph

Pasta Salad

2008-11-19T16:53:00.000-08:00

Hey all, I made this pasta salad tonight for dinner and even my kids downed it! Yay for salad dressing huh?
Happy Cooking! - Kris
Disclaimer: I'm not a food photographer, though it is a future goal!

Pasta Salad

1 head of broccolli, steamed and chopped
1 crookneck squash, steamed and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can black olives, sliced
1 lb. salad noodles, cooked and rinsed so they're cool
1 C of your favorite olive oil and red vinegar salad dressing (we like Newmans' Own, esp. when it's on sale!)

Toss.

Eat.

Yum.

*To steam your veggies, chop 'em, throw 'em in a glass bowl, put about a 1/4 of a cup of water in the bottom, throw a paper towel or a washcloth over it and microwave it.
Broccolli = 6 min.
Crookneck squash = 2-3 min.

Streusel Topped Bluberry Muffins

2008-11-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

Found this recipe at allrecipes.com, click here

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, diced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
Combine 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons flour over blueberries, and set aside. (This simple trick will keep you from having "purple" batter)
In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, and stir in vanilla and lemon zest. Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries. Remember, fold gently, don't stir. Spoon batter into prepared cups.
Combine 2 tablespoons flour, 5 tablespoons sugar ,and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs. Sprinkle over batter in muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack. These muffins freeze really well, and re-heat in the microwave successfully. Hope you enjoy!!

*this was such a yummy recipe, I will definitely repeat this one!*

Whole Wheat Pumpkin (or blueberry, or banana....) Muffins

2008-11-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

I love that there were fresh blueberries!! I made this recipe and
changed it from pumpkin to blueberry, and then from pumpkin to banana.
Just sub the canned pumpkin for 1/2 C of fruit, and the spice for
cinnamon if it matches the fruit you are using. I just omitted it for
mine. The muffins were gone by the days end.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin (or blueberry or banana or...) Muffins
Makes: 12 muffins

Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes

Ingredients
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 3/4 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 1/2 cup fruit of your choice or 1/2 C canned pumpkin

Directions
1. Lightly coat twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray; set
aside.
2. In a large bowl stir together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour,
sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Make a
well in the center of flour mixture.
3. In a small bowl combine egg, milk, and margarine; stir in pumpkin
or fruit. Add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened
(batter should be lumpy).
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3
full. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until a
wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on a
wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Serve warm. Makes 12
muffins.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

2008-11-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

Sorry I was unable to make it, but I hope the sauce turned out okay. Tweak it to fit your tastes, and Happy Cooking! -Kristen

Homemade Marinara Sauce
8 large tomatoes, cut in half
1 onion, minced
2t minced/crushed garlic
1 ½ t dried basil
2 t Italian seasoning (add more to taste if you want)
1 ½ - 2 t salt (to taste)

Cut tomatoes in half and place face down on a foiled cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 min. - 1 hour, or until you see the skin coming off the flesh. Take out and let cool. Saute onion/garlic in a little bit of olive oil. Peel skin off the tomatoes so you only have the flesh.
Throw tomatoes, onions/garlic, and spices into blender. Blend.

Add any veggies you like to this sauce! Mushrooms and Green Bell Peppers are my favorite. You may have to simmer it a little depending on what veggies you use so they are cooked all the way through.

*If your sauce is too tart, add a little bit of sugar, OR (my fav. and better for you) chop up 1 carrot and sauté with the onions/garlic. It’ll sweeten your sauce.

For the sauce I made the day of the class I cut the tomatoes in half and shoved a baby carrot or two into the tomato halves and then roasted the tomatoes with the carrots inside. Then blend…

*Some people also like to seed or squeeze the juice out of the tomatoes to make a thicker sauce. Seed the tomatoes before you roast them.

*Some people also do a raw sauce. It doesn’t have the rich flavor but it tastes more like fresh tomatoes.

pizza dough

2008-11-12T12:13:00.000-08:00

here is the recipe for the class today.
2 C warm water
2 TBL yeast
combine and let bubble for a minute or two
2 TBL oil
2 TBL sugar
2 tsp salt
5 1/2 C flour
let rise 10-15 minutes
split dough into sizes desired and roll out.
top with your fav toppings
bake 425 degrees till golden brown on edges approx 20 minutes.

this makes 2 cookie sheet size pizzas.
enjoy
--echo

Weekly DEALS

2008-11-12T11:28:00.000-08:00

I found these great deals on the Foodland Weekly Ads. I thought you could use these for prepping your Thanksgiving meal.

Cool Whip: 2 for $4, Cream Cheese: 2 for $5, Sour Cream: 2 for $5 ,
Mushroom Soup:5 for $6, French Fried Onions: $3.79

Cream cheese for Cheese ball, Sour cream in your potatoes, & of course mushroom soup and french fried onions for your Green Bean Casserole!! YUMMY, who is hungry now?

It's Confirmed!

2008-11-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Echo's House
54-062 Kukuna Rd.
Last house on the left
10:30am
Bring your toppings!

See you there!

cooking class?

2008-11-10T21:10:00.001-08:00

so i know that i am teaching the first cooking class and that we are doing pizza. what i do not know is when and where.
it would also be nice to know how many people are planning on coming so that i can judge my dough making accordingly.
i think we decided that everyone will bring their own toppings instead of 'sharing the wealth.' so that means bring your own cheese, sauce, and toppings. maybe a few of you guys can go in together if you want similar toppings or sauce. it takes 2 small cans of tomato sauce for one pizza the size of a cookie sheet.
or would you rather assign the basics like sauce and cheese to people?
one more thing. i think it would be easier for me to teach it at my house. i have a large kitchen with lots of counter space and these are a must when rolling out pizza dough.
please leave a comment if you plan on coming and if you know the answers to my questions. i am excited to teach this and also to learn stuff from all of you talented people. thanks.
--echo

Seven Steps to Creating the Perfect Thanksgiving Feast

2008-11-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

I found this on Ivillage. com. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can be very hectic. I found these tips to be very HELPFUL!!

1. There are so many possibilities for dishes to serve. Start by answering these three questions that will narrow your choices down to a manageable number.

How much time do you have?
Do any of your guests have special diets or allergies?
Is there a family favorite dish that must be on the table or it just won't be Thanksgiving?

2. Then, think about taste, texture, temperature and color. The best meals incorporate dishes that complement each other and mix various tastes, textures, temperatures and colors. An example of this, on a small scale, is a crisp green salad, hearty chicken noodle soup and warm bread.

3. Once you've chosen your dishes, write the menu down. This is step one in creating a plan.

4. Print out the recipes you are using and read through them. Read through them again. Decide what can be made ahead and what needs last-minute attention.

5. Write out your shopping list. You may want to spread the items out over a few shopping trips.

6. Make your plan. Start from when you want to serve dinner and work backward to figure out when you need to get started. Take a look at A Hassle-Free Thanksgiving for the Complete Beginner for an idea of how this looks.

7. Get cooking! And, enjoy.

Thanksgiving Cranberry relish

2008-11-09T22:39:00.001-08:00

Great Grandma Neal's Cranberry Relish

A tradition at Thanksgiving Dinner.

1 pkg. fresh cranberries

1 red apple, cored

1 seedless orange, leave skin on.

1-2 cups sugar

Finely chop all ingredients in blender and combine in a covered dish. Stir, then let set overnight. Chopped walnuts may be added if desired. Makes Lots!

Thanksgiving IDEAS

2008-11-09T21:58:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone,
I know that the BIG cooking day is coming up. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? What GREAT dishes do you like to make? SHARE SHARE your recipe secrets here!!

lasagna roll-ups

2008-11-05T16:33:00.001-08:00

this is originally from a costco cook book my mom has, but i make a few changes to spice things up a bit. made it for dinner last night and i couldn't get my camera out fast enough to take a picture after it was cooked. it's really good.

ingredients:

1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese

1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

1 giant handful of spinach- cut into ribbon like pieces or chopped

1/4 C red onion- chopped

1/2 red bell pepper- chopped

1 C cooked sausage (i use half of a frozen jimmy dean "hot" pork sausage)

1 egg, slightly beaten

9 lasagna noodles, cooked

1 26 oz jar classico di napoli tomato and basil pasta sauce (i am sure any type would do)

the original recipe calls for a package of frozen spinach (thawed and drained) but i find that nasty so i make good use of our fresh stuff. it also does not call for the onions, peppers, or sausage and you could make it without, but i think it adds a lot of flavor. i usually make this earlier in the day, keep it in the fridge then cook for 40 minutes around dinner time.

1. pre-heat oven to 350. combine all ingredients- except for pasta sauce and noodles- in a bowl. spread about 1/3 cup of mixture on each lasagna noodle.

2. pour 1/3 cup pasta sauce into a 13x9 baking dish. spread around the bottom. roll-up noodles and place in the dish seam side down.

3. top with remaining sauce and some mozzarella. cover with foil and cook for 35 minutes.

enjoy with french bread and a green salad!

~~ashley moffat

Sugar Cookie recipe STOLEN!!

2008-11-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

I stole this recipe right off my sister Leslie's Blog!! She used to make wedding cakes. She is a fabulous cook!! I can't wait to make these. HMMMMM.....soon enough.

Sugar Cookies (makes about 3 dozen 2" cookies)

Stir together & set aside:

3 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt ( just 1/2 teaspoon if you are using salted butter)

Using an electric mixer, beat together until well mixed and fluffy:

1 1/2 cups softened butter (do NOT use margarine because the dough will not firm sufficiently to cut out and release from the wax paper)

1 cup sugar

Add and then beat until blended:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine flour mixture with butter mixture and blend well. Divide dough into half and place each portion between two large sheets of wax paper (the size of jelly roll pans or cookie sheets). Roll out a scant 1/4" thick, smoothing out any creases the wax paper makes. Keeping the wax paper in place, put rolled dough onto cookie sheets or jelly roll pans and chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes or longer until cold and firm.

While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease cookie sheets.

Take out just 1 portion at a time, gently peel away each side of wax paper, but replace one of them for dough to lay on. (This will make it easier to lift the cookies from the paper.) Using 2-or 3-inch cutters, cut out cookies quickly and carefully transfer them with a spatula to the cookie sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Combine and reroll scraps between wax paper and chill in refrigerator.

Bake for 8-11 minutes, until lightly golden around edges. Let cookies firm for a minute or two on cookie sheets and then transfer them to wire racks to cool.

Quick Vanilla Icing

Thoroughly stir together with electric mixer:

5 cups powdered sugar, measured then sifted

1/3 cup hot water

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

food coloring

This is usually the consistency used to line and decorate the cookies with white borders. I use a Wilton decorating bag and a #2 or #3 round decorating tip. Keep icing covered with a lid or moist washcloth so that it doesn't crust over while you are icing cookies. If necessary, add more water to thin or more powdered sugar to thicken (your icing should nicely flow from the tip as you are quickly working but not be dripping out). Let cookies sit and firm for at least an hour before moving on.

After the cookies are lined with borders, divide the remaining icing into several small bowls to color and thin. A little more water is needed to thin to a runny syrup or oil consistency so that it will flow easily and more quickly from the decorator/candy bottles (these can be found in the cake decorator section at Walmart of JoAnns - usually 2 bottles come together for a little over a dollar).

If adding sprinkles, sprinkle on a minute or so after icing is put on (so that they don't sink in immediately, but quickly enough so that the icing didn't firm up too much).

Let cookies sit for a couple of hours before stacking. Sometimes I stack them between sheets of wax paper too.

Spicey Mexican Chicken

2008-11-03T15:04:00.000-08:00

I was feeling in the mood for Mexican, so last night I found this recipe online from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
6 - 8 boneless skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
1/2 C mayo
1 packet of Taco Seasonings
1-2 T fresh squeezed lime juice

Cooking Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 375
2) Slice Chicken into strips
3) Combing mayo, seasonings and lime. Mix well.
4) Dip chicken into mayo mix, all sides.
5) Place chicken into greased 9 x 13 pan.
6) Bake for 25 - 30 min.

Serve over Mexican rice. so yummy!1

Sending by email

2008-11-02T19:44:00.001-08:00

Contributors have to go to Dashboard, Settings and set up their own code to email it in (Settings, Email)

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Have an Enchanting day!
Lindsey

Leftover Halloween Candy

2008-11-02T18:44:00.000-08:00

Things to do with your Halloween candy:

Shakes - Add twix bars, m&ms, snickers, whatever you've got and SHAKE it up!!

Cookies - Top your basic Chocolate cookie recipe with chopped/crunched up candy bars!!

Save & use for birthday parties, Pinatas, and rewards

WELCOME

2008-11-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome ALL, this blog is for those , who love to eat 5 fruits & veggies a day, who love to share their passion for cooking, and those who need food & cooking inspiration.

5 a day

Recipe SHARE

A Fall Favorite!

Ingredients

Directions

Recipes for your BOX

Butternut Lasagna

Tomatillos

Recipes for your BOX

New Food Blog to follow!

Menu Planning

Recipes for your BOX

Ingredients

Directions

Jay's Hearty Breakfast Skillet

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

White and Sweet Potato Gratin

Apples by the Fire

Super Duper Easy Apple Cake

Spiced Apples

Recipes for your BOX

TIPS for minimizing Waste of produce

Recipes for your F&V box of veggies 9/1/10

Grilled Zucchini II

Ingredients

Crescent Beef Casserole

Ingredients

Directions

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

Directions

Yummy Zucchini Recipe

Great Deals & Finds

St. Patricks Day Recipes

Green Bags

Sweet Potato ROLLS - Okinawan RECIPE

Happy Friday Fruit and Veggie Friends

Fresh Tomato Soup w/ Basil recipe

CRANBERRIES??

Banana Bread

Spinach Recipes

FOOD INC.

What We Do With Our Veggies

confession

Veggie Ideas

Kale!

Freezing Food

Fruits & Veggies Galore

Thai Chicken, Mango & Pineapple Salad

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

Wednesday F & V2 also Fruits Only

Daikon the Korean Turnip

Lemon Confusion

Lemon Poppy-Seed Cookies

Lemon Madeleines

Cooking Class

Fruits & Veggies Spread

Kabocha Pumpkin

BREADelicious!

Ingredients:

Directions:

you are what you eat!!

EGGPLANT?????

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

DIRECTIONS

Budget-Friendly Cooking

Menu Plan Monday

Cheesecake Brownies

Cookie Swap / Craft Night

cookbook project

Pasta Salad

Streusel Topped Bluberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Whole Wheat Pumpkin (or blueberry, or banana....) Muffins

Homemade Marinara Sauce

pizza dough

Weekly DEALS

It's Confirmed!

cooking class?